Ganiyu Olawale Dawodu (1935–2006) popularly known as G.O.D. in Lagos, was a

Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...

politician and democracy activist. He was a leading member of the National Democratic Coalition popularly known as NADECO in Nigeria during the reign of

Sani Abacha Sani Abacha (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998) was a Nigerian military officer and politician who ruled as the military head of state of Nigeria from 1993 until his death in 1998. He seized power on 17 November 1993 in the last successful c ...

. The coalition then was a puissant movement to free jailed politician M.K.O Abiola from prison, in the process, he was jailed for his pro Abiola stance. In 2000, he was in a battle of supremacy for the Lagos branch of the old Alliance for Democracy political party. He had opposed the emergence of Governor Tinubu in 1998-1999 and had supported the late

Funsho Williams Anthony Olufunsho Williams (9 May 1948 – 27 July 2006) was an influential politician from Lagos State and former Commissioner under Colonel Olagunsoye Oyinlola's Military Administration in Lagos. Early life Funsho Williams attended the St. Pa ...

, Tinubu's opposition. Their differences spilled over into 2000, and by 2003, he left the party to the Progressives Action Coalition and was the Lagos gubernatorial candidate of the party.Aliyu Ma'aji. "Politics AD crisis: Tinubu fights Ganiyu Dawodu", Weekly Trust (Kaduna), October 6, 2000. Dawodu was born in

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...

and attended

Ansar Ud Deen Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria is a Muslim organization established for the purpose of the educational development of Muslims and also as a body to enhance the moral and social development of the Muslim community in Lagos. Stefan Reichmuth. 'Ne ...

, Elementary School, Okepopo, Lagos. He then proceeded to Ahmadiya High School before going to

St Gregory's College, Lagos St. Gregory's College, Lagos, is a catholic missionary school for boys, with boarding facilities, located 1.0 km from Tafawa Balewa Square in the vicinity of Ikoyi – Obalende, Lagos State, Nigeria. History The college, originally a coed ca ...

. During the Nigerian First Republic, he was a member of the Lagos city council and later became the chairman of the Lagos Town Council.

References

1935 births 2006 deaths People from Lagos Yoruba politicians Nigerian democracy activists National Democratic Coalition (Nigeria) politicians Alliance for Democracy (Nigeria) politicians {{Nigeria-politician-stub