I just saw the interview of Hafsat Abiola-Costello on President Muhammadu Buhari's declaration of June 12 as democracy day in recognition of her father, Bashorun MKO Abiola as a Grand Commander of the Federal Republic. Her words moved me. Most touching was the fact that Hafsat found the democracy day declaration the most significant. Her calm voice expressed Hope, Excitement, Emotions and Fulfilment. Be that as it may, everything about June 12 should be lessons for us as a people and as a nation.
1. Many countries never went through what Nigeria swam in before they were torn into shreds. Had June 12 split Nigeria, no west African country would have been able to contain us. If it happened, Europe will tilt. America will groan. If they are feeling tired of Syria already, they will have cried over Nigeria and her alarming population. We need to thank God.
2. Nigeria was once run by a group of people who serially brokered political power amongst themselves in military uniforms. Only death and God took them out of power. Life is ephemeral.
3. How do you explain it that the total number of political and military leaders putting pressure on IBB then to annul the elections were not even up to 100 human beings. But because of just them, the wishes of 150m people was truncated. A country without the office of the citizen is an empire of tyrants.
4. While I agree with Honorable Justice Belgore that Paragraph 2 of the Honours Warrant made pursuant to the National Honours Act provides that ‘a person shall be appointed to a particular rank of an Order when he receives from the President in person, at an investiture held for the purpose...’ I prefer as sighted by Femi Falana(SAN) to align with Paragraph 3 of the same act that gives '...the President the unqualified discretion ‘to dispense with the requirement of paragraph 2 in such manner as may be specified in the direction'
5. Where was Bukola Saraki and Dino Melaye when Nigeria was boiling in 1993? Where was Rochas Okorocha during the Epetedo declaration? Where was Buhari during Abiola's incarceration? And what comments did he make between 1993 and 1998? Could you have some democratic values and fail to speak during that crucial period? Merit and sacrifice is always stupid to the Nigerian political class until elections start knocking.
7. In a bid to reclaim his mandate, Abiola confronted 3 military governments simultaneously and refused to succumb till he died. Honour is a major producer of heroes. It is the tradition of the Noble. A country without heroes will be zero.
7. The Quarrels between Abiola and Obasanjo has been on since BBHS days when they were both Editor and Deputy editor of the school Magazine. It has always started, ended and restarted since then. I doubt if they ever at any point trusted each other. Nigerians need take their eyes off any lies that rests on PDP or APC. It is the same political class. The Failure of Good Governance in Nigeria is systemic.
8. Sometimes back, I saw a documentary on the first Nigerian coup which stated that barely a week after Aguiyi Ironsi was killed in 1966, Lagos was already running normally as if nothing happened and that there was more weeping over the death of Aguiyi-Ironsi in London than in Lagos. What does this speak of us as a people wwith respect to this June 12 declaration?
9. Nigeria is beginning to deserve a National day of Thanksgiving.
I am asking myself today what is going on in the mind of IBB and the 3 service chiefs he left in the military. What was his motive? Wherever they are, it is sure that this will not be funny to them. I am sure they are all ashamed. The lesson in all of this is that, there is always a point in our lives when we have the powers to do almost anything-right or wrong, good or bad, truth or lies. There is a point when the brilliant people around you can argue you in or out of virtually anything and either way. It is right there that the right human and godly values you have kept for years will rise and tell the truth to you. Right actions make a country great. The victory of evil over good will remain temporary. Always do the right thing when you have the chance. God bless the Abiola family. God bless martyrs of the June 12 struggle. God bless all Nigerians who believe in good governance and God bless Nigeria.
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