Tunji Braithwaite's legacy of political integrity resonates as Nigeria marks 10th death anniversary
Today marks the 10th anniversary of Tunji Braithwaite's death on March 28, 2016, coinciding with what would have been his 93rd birthday on September 17, 2026. The Nigerian lawyer and founder of the Nigeria Advance Party (NAP) dedicated over 55 years to defending public interest through law and politics, from representing Fela Kuti and Obafemi Awolowo in the 1960s to challenging military dictators like Sani Abacha in 1997.
His NAP party faced initial rejection by FEDECO in 1978 for lacking national footprint but eventually registered in 1982, making Braithwaite the sixth presidential candidate in 1983. He consistently advocated for egalitarian humanism, trade union rights, and an electoral system that could contain people of integrity—a principle he embodied by refusing to win elections through bribery or evils. His family legacy includes his wife, Nigeria's senior medical doctor Grace Simisola, and five children (one doctor, four lawyers).
Born in 1933—the same year Hitler rose to power and FDR began his presidency—Braithwaite's life spanned colonial legislative elections to modern Nigerian democracy. He believed citizens remain the ultimate source of legitimate power, warning that power divorced from popular will endangers both rulers and the ruled. His final message: 'Who wants to win an election by bribery and all sorts of evils? I don’t want to win election through such means.'
As Nigeria navigates current political challenges, what aspects of Braithwaite's unwavering commitment to public office as service—not self-enrichment—should we revive in our pursuit of credible elections and accountable governance?