As a Nigerian, I share the pains of other Nigerians all over the
world who narrowly lost the June 12th presidential election to the
Military junta under the self-imposed president, Ibrahim Babangida.
Today is a reminder of the day we all thought the military took its last
breathe in the country. If not for anything, we would have had
democracy before 1999. One other painful aspect of the annulment was the
eventual action of the then Military government that consequently led
to the arrest and the detention of MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of
the election. It’s painful that Abiola died in jail. Even as one
sympathizes with his family on a day like this, it won’t be totally
wrong to say that Abiola, like many Nigerians was only a victim of
Military dictatorship and autocracy. Abiola was like every other person
who died in pursuit of personal ambition. He stood for what he believed
in and did not give up even when he knew he was playing with an
intelligent Lion that may never kill one with its claws and jaws.
Expectantly, while flipping through different pages of newspapers,
and searching the internet for important national news, all opinions
that popped up for my perusal were all about MKO Abiola and the June 12
saga. Grant that today is a day to remember the incident of that day,
the event does not make Abiola a special hero of any kind.
My analysis of all the different opinions with sensational headlines
shows that they were written, not out chauvinism or patriotism, but out
of tribal sentiments. My apologies, but I’m very much conversant with
the Yoruba talking drum. It’s very small, yet makes the loudest noise. A
typical Yoruba man walks about with his talking drum, and he is capable
of making the loudest noise with his drum even when not necessary. For
how long will they keep talking about June 12 and MKO Abiola? It is like
telling us what we already know. Are these various reactions ways of
sensitizing the public against further breakdown of laws and order in
our country? Most people have completely ignored the essence of the
commemoration and are beginning to refer to Abiola as a hero of
democracy. How heroic? It took us more than a decade to return to
democracy after June 12 election was annulled, so how did Abiola’s
stubbornness help us return to democracy? Abiola’s high headedness of
declaring himself as the elected president under a very stubborn and
tricky military administration even complicated our situation, and we
remained in darkness for more than a decade. Before 1993, democratic
heroes had already emerged in the country. We have had people who
voluntarily relinquished power when they had all the opportunities to
hold on to power. Several Nigerians had been killed for protesting
against endless military dictatorship in the country. Who do we call a
hero of democracy then?
Like June 12, so the 1966 democratic government was truncated, and
the Military took over, leading to the death of the then Prime Minister,
Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, a northern Nigerian . Of course, Balewa
was not the only victim of the truncated 66 democracy. Other notable
victims of the coup were the Sardauna of Sokoto, Finance Minister,
Okote-Eboh, who was rumoured to have been found murdered in Lagos
lagoon, castrated, with his eyes gouged out.
What pinches me most is the unwarranted noise that the death of
Abiola and the June 12 election have generated even in this present
democratic era. Some have even suggested that today be declared a public
holiday or made a democracy day, and I simply say, it’s the Yoruba
sentiment backed up with their talking drum. Kudirat Abiola died more as
a Hero than Abiola himself. Even though we all know she was fighting
for her husband, it was a just, fearless, and selfless fight. Abiola
died as a narcissist fighter. He was fighting to raise his personal
political profile. Simple, he wanted to become the president of the
country. No one knew what he would have done if he was given the
opportunity to rule. Could he have been any better than today’s leaders?
I’m not sure what he would have done to our supposed nascent democracy.
To talk about the hero of democracy is to simply talk about those who
went on exile, killed or imprisoned for fighting selflessly for the
return to democracy, not because they wanted to rule, but to return
freedom and egalitarianism to their fatherland. Abiola died out of
excessive or what I may term inordinate ambition. That’s all I know at
the moment. He should have been wiser and not to begin to make too much
noise like the Yoruba talking drum.
How come Abiola’s name is repeatedly put in the Yoruba talking drum
when nobody remembers the 7th of October 1995, when Chief Alfred Rewane,
a veteran Nigerian politician, elder statesman, nationalist, social
critic and NADECO Chieftain was brutally murdered in Lagos. His death
was no doubt political.
On the 10th of November 1995, the renowned environmentalist, great
writer, poet, social critic and human rights activist – Mr. Kenule
Benson Saro-Wiwa and his other brothers were”judicially murdered” How
many times have you beat your talking drums to salute these fallen
heroes?
The list is endless if we begin to mention the names of patriotic
Nigerians who suffered in the cruel hands of the military. What would
you say of Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti, General Olusegun Obasanjo (Rtd), Major
General Shehu Musa Yar’adua (Rtd), Chief Gani Oyesola Fawehinmi
(released December 1996), Mr. Chima Ubani, Mr. Lanre Lijadu, Mrs. Chris
Anyanwu, Alhaji Ganiyu Dawodu, Mr. Kunle Ajibade, Mr. Gbenga Awosode,
Alhaji Shehu Sani, Mr. George Mbah, Mr. Ben-Charles Obi, Mr. Olu
Akerele, some pro-democracy Military Officers, journalists, Nigerian
student activists and other pro- democracy Nigerians, Prof. Wole
Soyinka, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Senator Bola
Tinubu, Mr. Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Dr Kayode Fayemi, Chief Ralph Obioha, Mr.
Dele Momodu, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Mr. Ledun Mittee, Major General
Alani Akinrinade (Rtd), Alhaji Dan Suleimon, Colonel David Mark, Dr.
Owens Wiwa, and other Nigerian democrats?
The crux of the argument is that we do not dispute that people rose
to challenge those dark eras, however, we must not try to blow it out
the ordinary proportion as the death of Abiola and the June 12th
annulment were never our worst plagues as a country. We have had people
who put their lives on the line for this country, not because they had
any ambition, but because they were simply patriotic; because they
wanted to ensure that freedom and peace return to their country. Such
people are the true heroes. So my brother, while beating your talking
drum, make sure it tells a better story and not out of sentiments.
As far as I know, the true hero of democracy who should be celebrated
whether dead or alive should be Abdulsalami Abubakar; a man who had all
the opportunities to keep power for another 10 years but willingly gave
up power to the military. Beat the drum, but with caution.
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