Beko Ransome-Kuti

Bekololari Ransome-Kuti was born on August 2, 1940, in Abeokuta, the son of Funmilayo and Rev. Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti. After graduating in medicine from the University of Manchester, he returned to Nigeria to practice, serving as secretary and vice-president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

An uncompromising champion of civil liberties, Beko founded the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) and served as Chairman of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), organizing mass street protests and strikes against the military cancellation of the June 12 election. In 1995, he was sentenced to life imprisonment by a secret military tribunal on fabricated coup charges, being released following Abacha's death in 1998. He continued fighting for electoral reform until his death.