Morayo Afolabi Brown has spoken about her father’s courageous opposition to military rule in Nigeria, disclosing that he was among the most prominent adversaries of former military leader Ibrahim Babangida.
In a recent interview from 22.40 on Jay On Air TV, she described her father as a well-known activist who strongly resisted Babangida’s regime. She noted that his vocal criticism drew intense hostility from Babangida, leading to repeated targeting and harassment.
She shared that her father was imprisoned several times and often held in the same cells as other pro-democracy advocates, such as the late human rights lawyer Beko Ransome-Kuti. The constant threat eventually forced him to leave Nigeria and seek refuge abroad to avoid further persecution
Morayo also reflected on how being raised by such a determined activist influenced her own life. She emphasized that her father remained outspoken until the end, regularly using social media to express his views. She credited him with encouraging the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to take a stronger, more active position against military involvement in national affairs.
In her own words: “My father was an activist; I grew up knowing he was one of Babangida’s top enemies. Babangida deeply despised him. My father shared prison cells with Beko Ransome-Kuti and others. He had to go into exile because Babangida was chasing him.”