Home | Articles | Beko Is Dead: Ace Activist Succumbs To Death After Recent Battle With Ill-Health: Soyinka Sad

Beko Is Dead: Ace Activist Succumbs To Death After Recent Battle With Ill-Health: Soyinka Sad

By Erin B 01/02/2012 12:14:00

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Author: Laolu Akande
Posted to the web: 2/11/2006 10:14:57 PM

Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti, the noted Nigerian pro-democracy activist has died Friday, at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH. He would have marked his 66th birthday this August.
Beko was a leading functionary of PRONACO whose US members have already released a statement expressing their condolence.
Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka spoke with this reporter this afternoon from his US base. He was saddened by the death and said he was preparing to travel to Lagos soon to commiserate with the Kuti family. Soyinka's family and the Kutis are related.
Both Soyinka and Kuti were active in prodemocracy struggle in Nigeria. They have colloborated in several democratic battles including the more recent organisation of PRONACO.
Beko is a leading protagonist in PRONACO that insisted on the participation of more groups in the PRONACO activities and he was the Deputy Chairman of PRONACO.
Dr. Beko has been known very recently to have shown signs of ill-health and has not been as active as he used to be. His assistants and colleagues said between last December and January this year Beko shuttled between Nigeria and London for medical reasons. He later received care also at the Eko Hospital on return from London in January. But he died in LUTH.
However there is yet no confirmation as to the cause of his death yesterday evening nor the actual ailment he battled with.
During his visit to New York last October, few of his friends were concerned about his health and looks. But he spoke at the launching of the PRONACO-US meeting and stayed around for a while.
Already the Lagos State Governor, himself a former democracy campaigner, Senator Bola Tinubu has paid condolence visit to the Kuti family. The Nigeria Labour Congress President Adams Oshionmole and Lagos lawyer Femi Falana have also visited the Kuti residence in Lagos.
A PRONACO-US statement sent by Dr. Baba Adam noted that 'Our sincere condolences and sympathy to Dr. Beko’s family and Nigeria in general. We are extremely grateful for his service to country and God. A passage of truly patriotic and great Nigerian.
PRONACO-USA then said it will have an official Press Release later.
A US based lawyer and Beko democratic collaborator, Kayode Oladele also issued a statement.
'I was deeply grieved to learn of the sad demise of a friend and associate, Dr. Beko Ransome –Kuti. BRK, as we fondly called him, was a legend in our country by having the rare distinction of fearlessly leading the struggle against military dictatorship and socio-political oppression in Nigeria. By this, he had created for himself a niche in the hearts of many Nigerians as a freedom fighter, human rights leader and pro-democracy activist.'
He said “Nigerians have great respect for the important role of BRK in realizing the present democratic dispensation in Nigeria. This is an immense loss for the people of Nigeria. For the future of Nigerian democracy and human rights, it is crucial that the work he has started can be continued with greater strength and higher dimension. May God give his family members the strength and the courage to bear this irreparable loss. I also pray for the salvation of the departed soul.'
Beko belonged to a family whose role and part in the Nigerian history cannot be ignored. Her late mother was a women's right activist and was also the first Nigerian lady to drive in Nigeria.
The redoubtable Chief Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was a thorn in the flesh of dictatorships in Nigeria and she fought the military on the unjust arrest of her son (Fela, the radical musician) and sustained an injury to her leg of which the resultant compilations led to her death. Fela is Beko's senior brother and the eldest son of the mother is the former Nigerian Health Minister, Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti. All three have now died. Before he died Beko was the head of the Kuti family.
More details to follow as they emerge.