Ekweremadu, his wife, and their doctor, Obinna Obeta, were found guilty of violating the Modern Slavery Act for facilitating the travel of a young man to Britain with the intention of using his kidney for the transplant of their daughter.
Metropolitan police had earlier remanded the Ekweremadus in custody and arraigned them at the Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court.
In his letter dated April 3, 2023, Obasanjo noted that he had known Ekweremadu for over two decades and had followed his inspiring career that traversed private legal practice and public administration. He recalled fond memories of the beginnings of their political and social relations at the outset of their collective quest for democratic rebirth for their fatherland.
Obasanjo also praised Ekweremadu’s broad-based experience in legal practice and public administration, as well as his service as Deputy Senate President and head of many committees in the Nigerian Parliament.
Obasanjo further commended Ekweremadu’s God-fearing, dispassionate, moderate, and pan-Nigerian approach to national issues and developments, despite the multi-ethnic, multi-religious geo-polity of the country.
He acknowledged the contributions of the Ikeoha Foundation, a non-governmental organization founded by Ekweremadu and his wife in 1997, to enhancing poor people’s access to quality education and healthcare and building their capacity to participate in mainstream social, political, and economic activities of their communities.
Obasanjo noted that Ekweremadu’s conferment with the coveted national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR, was further testimony to his selfless service to Nigeria.
Obasanjo expressed his awareness of the current travails and conviction of Ekweremadu and his wife in the United Kingdom, resulting from their being charged with conspiring to arrange the travel of a 21-year-old from Nigeria to the UK to harvest organs for their daughter.
He acknowledged the implications of their action and condemned it, saying it was unpleasant and could not be tolerated in any sane or civilized society.
However, Obasanjo hoped that for the sake of the good relations between the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the position of Ekweremadu as one of the distinguished Senators in the Nigerian Parliament, and the urgent medical attention required by their daughter, the court and the government of the UK would be magnanimous enough to temper justice with mercy and take into consideration the couple’s good character and parental instinct and care.
Obasanjo concluded by urging Ekweremadu and his wife to learn from their distressing experience and guide their future actions or inaction to continue to be outstanding members of their community and contribute fully to Nigeria’s development.
The letter generated mixed reactions from Nigerians, with some condemning the former president’s intervention and others commending him for standing up for his friend. The trial of Ekweremadu and his wife have continued to attract attention, with many calling for justice to take its course.