Family and friends of the late Lagos human rights lawyers, Bamidele Aturu have continued to recount last moments spent with the late activist even as they refuted news in the media that he slumped or died in the office.
Bamidele Aturu who is also a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Victory Mega Parish Ogudu, Lagos reportedly slumped in his office and was confirmed dead at an undisclosed hospital while other reports in the media had it that he was suffering from prolonged high blood pressure.
Late Bamidele Aturu came to national prominence as a human campaigner when as a member of the National Youth Service Corps, refused to shake hands with the then military administrator of Niger State, Col. Lawan Gwadabe, in 1988 during his NYSC passing out parade declaring that the military had caused great harm to the democratic aspiration of Nigerians.
He dedicated much of his legal practice to representing the oppressed and marginalized people in the society. He was quite for his criticism of government’s policies.
When Saturday Sun correspondent visited his residence at No 29,Olufeso street, Agege, Lagos, sympathisers were still trooping i the residence signing the condolence register and condoning with his wife and family members.
Family and friends who spoke with Saturday Sun expressed disappointment that the news in town was that the late barrister slumped, died in the office and so many versions. One of his relatives who insisted that all journalists should leave the main building said that until autopsy is released no one can ascertain what killed their Uncle. “ It is so sad that people will keep speculating what they think is true. Some said he slumped, others said that he had high blood pressure. Until we get results from the hospital, no one knows what killed him and Nigerians should wait till then. He was one of the healthiest man on earth,” the lady said while insisting that journalists should leave the compound.
Omolade Aduubi, a close family friend and a professor at the University of Michigan, USA, added that there is no point speculating what could have killed late Bamidele. “Let Nigerians be patient and allow the family to come up with a statement as to what really happened to my brother and friend. All I can authoritatively tell you is that he did not slump or die in the office.”
Describing him as a humanist, Aduubi said that late Bamidele Aturu fought for oppressed and the downtrodden in the society. “ He devoted his life to represent the vulnerable.”
Also recounting his last moments with the activist is a RCCG pastor, Blessyn Okpowo who said that his mood during his last service was that of a man who had premonition that the end was near. “ He was a Redeem pastor and every first Sunday of the month is a thanksgiving service in RCCG. On his last Sunday service on earth, we were together at his church, Victory Mega parish in Ogudu, Lagos.
He conducted the thanksgiving session of the service. During the thanksgiving service, people were supposed to dance around the church.
He announced to church that he wanted to the compete with me in a dance during the thanksgiving. We came down from the pulpit and danced vigorously for over 15 minutes; we were rejoicing and celebrating the new month”
The pastor also recounted that after the sermon which was titled ‘The world is looking for a proof’, the late Aturu keyed in and made his remark after the sermon. He kept harping on the word and kept saying that ‘God will give us a testimony that the whole world will know that we are actually servants of God and Christians. And that everybody should dance and rejoice. He kept repeating those words, dance and rejoice and that the celebration will start from his home. I shivered when his wife called me on Wednesday to announce that he is no more.”
Okpowo who is also the General Manager, Community Affairs and government relation, Afri Energy plc insists that he wasn’t sick. “We danced vigorously. There was no sign at all to that effect. He has a good living habit, he eats right, does not smoke nor drink. Only God knows what really happened.”
Also spotted was Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the court of Appeal who described him as a patriotic and humble human being.
Also in attendance  to pay condolence to the family was Muiz Banire, a top Lagos politician and former Commissioner of the Environment in Lagos described his death as a great deprivation to human rights community. “I don’t know why human rights community is loosing some of its members, maybe because the stress they have gone through or still going through in a bid to enthrone proper democracy.
“For me it is a great loss for us, beyond being a colleague , he is friend. His contribution was not only to the enthronement of democracy but improvement of the welfare of the citizenry,” Banire stated.  The Chairman, Rev. Chris Okotie, the National Executive Committee and members of Fresh Democratic Party also commiserated with the wife, children and family of the late activist whom he described as an upright, forthright and nonpareil human right lawyer and activist. “Bamidele Aturu death has dealt a big blow to the struggle for the entrenchment of rule of law in Nigeria. He identified with and stood his good causes and was a champion of the oppressed. He was iconoclastic till his death. We pray that the Lord will grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss”
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mohammed Dele Belgore, described his death as further and costly depletion in the ranks of selfless Nigerians who deserve to be called patriot.
“The death of Bamidele Aturu came as a rude shock to me. Beyond being a colleague at the bar, Aturu represented our common humanity which requires us to sacrifice personal comfort for the collective good of the community.
Alongside other patriots and democrats, not minding the consequences for his bright future, Bamidele Aturu had the honour of speaking up for the masses at the height of military rule to the extent of having his national youths service certificate seized.
“After the painful exit of the legend Gani Fawehinmi from the scene some years ago, Bamidele Aturu came around as another civil rights lawyer who would approach the court seeking the enforcement of the fundamental rights of powerless Nigerians. And every time democracy and rule of law came under threat Bamidele Aturu was always around to speak up! May the Almighty comfort his young family and the civil rights community of which he was a pillar.”

Aturu had premonition of death –Pastor