PDP, others commemorate Funsho Williams 20 years after killing

Mr Williams was killed at his residence in Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, on 27July 2006, shortly before the PDP was expected to choose its candidate for the 2007 Lagos State governorship election.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area on Monday held a memorial service to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of Olufunsho Williams, a former governorship candidate murdered in 2006.

The service, held at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church, Yaba, was themed, “A Life of Service. A Legacy of Integrity. An Inspiration Forever.”

Mr Williams was killed at his residence in Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, on 27July 2006, shortly before the PDP was expected to choose its candidate for the 2007 Lagos State governorship election. He ran for governor in the earlier 2003 governorship election in the state but lost to Bola Tinubu, the future Nigerian president.

Twenty years after his death, the circumstances surrounding the killing remain a subject of public interest. Although six men were prosecuted in connection with the murder, the killing has remained unresolved.

During trial, prosecution witness, Oladapo Obafunwa, the then Chief Forensic Pathologist of Lagos State, told the Lagos High Court in 2014 that Mr Williams died from lack of oxygen caused by manual strangulation. He said the post-mortem examination also found wounds which could be described as defence wounds.

Who was Funsho Williams?

Born in Lagos in 1948, Mr Williams was a civil engineer, technocrat and politician whose career spanned the Lagos State civil service, the private sector and partisan politics.

He studied civil engineering at the University of Lagos and later obtained a master’s degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in the United States.

He joined the Lagos State civil service in 1974 and spent about 17 years working on construction projects before retiring as a Permanent Secretary in 1991. He later returned to public service as Commissioner for Works under the military administration of Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

Before venturing into politics, Mr Williams served on the boards of several companies, including Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Cappa and D’Alberto Plc and Ajaokuta Steel Company. He was also chairman of the board of the National Maritime Authority.

His political career saw him move through different political platforms, including the Alliance for Democracy upon Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, before joining the PDP. He contested the Lagos governorship election in 2003 and, by the time of his death in 2006, was regarded as a leading contender for the PDP’s ticket ahead of the 2007 election.

His death occurred at a politically significant moment, coming just days before the PDP was expected to select its candidate for the governorship contest.

Then-Lagos Governor Tinubu, who was also caught in the web of controversies surrounding the assassination, with accusing fingers pointed to him from some quarters, maintained his innocence. As sitting governor, he announced a N10 million for any information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the killers.

‘We lost a gem’-Bode George

At Monday’s memorial, Bode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, recalled the circumstances surrounding Mr Williams’ death and said he was among the first people to see his body.

“Funsho was an epitome of civility, an icon, a humanist, a gentle but very deep human spirit. We lost a gem,” Mr George said.

He described the memory of the killing as particularly painful, saying he was among those who discovered Mr Williams’ body and alerted the police.

Mr George urged those currently in government to reflect on Mr Williams’ death and the lessons it holds for the country.

“It’s a very sad memory for me in particular, because I was the one that saw him on the floor. We called the police, and the president at that time invited Scotland Yard from London to join the investigation. It was all messed up.

“Those in government today, let them use today as a pointer, that we should alter course for the good of this country,” he said.

He also expressed confidence in the future of the PDP.

“Our party, the Peoples Democratic Party, will never, ever die in this country,” Mr George said.

Doherty: Williams’ legacy transcends PDP

Funso Doherty, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate for the 2027 Lagos election, said Mr Williams’ influence extended beyond the PDP and partisan politics.

“The late Funsho Williams is a man who has a shining legacy, not just within one political party, but across the state and indeed the nation. He has left giant footprints,” Mr Doherty said.

Mr Doherty, in a tribute posted on his X account, described Mr Williams as a statesman known for competence, integrity and commitment to public service.

He said Mr Williams approached governance as a responsibility to the people rather than an opportunity for personal gain.

According to him, the late politician’s emphasis on peaceful politics, transparency and accountability remains relevant to those seeking a better Lagos and Nigeria.

Mr Doherty also used the anniversary to comment on the state of opposition politics in Nigeria, arguing that political space for opposition parties has become increasingly restricted since Mr Williams’ death.

“PDP, like all other opposition parties today, is under threat. The space for the opposition is very limited. We seem to have regressed since Funsho Williams’ time,” he said.

Former Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, also paid tribute to the late politician in a brief post on X.

“We remember. Omoluabi Eko. Rest on Captain,” he wrote.