Tunji Braithwaite, lawyer, author, politician, dies at 82

The founder of the Nigerian Advance Party and pro-democracy activist, Tunji Braithwaite, has passed away.

He was aged 82.

Mr. Braithwaite died at St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos, on Monday after a brief illness, family members said.

Born in 1933, Mr. Braithwaite was the youngest son of eight children.

He was educated at CMS Grammar School, entering the school’s preparatory section in 1946 and completing his education seven years later.

In 1955, he sat for his A-Levels at the London University at Kennington College, and enrolled in 1957/58 as a Law student at the Council of Legal Education in London.

He was called to the Bar in 1961 at Lincoln’s Inn and thereafter signed the Rolls of Barristers at the High Court of Justice, London, before returning to Nigeria.

One of his most celebrated cases was in 1977‎, when Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti instructed him to represent the Kuti family and get Beko and Fela out of detention, as well as seek redress over some rights abuse by the Olusegun Obasanjo-led military junta.

Mr. Braithwaite fought the case through the High Court to the Supreme Court, leading other notable lawyers, including Olu Onagoruwa and Alao Aka-Bashorun, among others.

A lawyer, politician, pro-democracy activist, author,‎ Mr. Braithwaite was married to his childhood sweetheart, Grace Falade, in 1956 while they were undergraduates.

He is survived by five children and many grandchildren.