Photo credit: Peoples Gazette
Is it not interesting that MKO Abiola’s death was three days after July 4?
July 4 happens to be the anniversary of the independence of the United States. Another thing of interest is the fact that two great Americans -Thomas Pickering and Susan Rice –witnessed the last minutes of the fat cat.
It could therefore be inferred that in the year 1998, as the United States just finished celebrating freedom, Nigeria was further entrenching herself in servitude.
According to Professor Wole Soyinka, MKO was the elected president of a nation who never did preside over more than his home, his vast network of businesses and finally his place of detention.
I tend to disagree with the eminent professor on whether he actually did preside over his place of detention.
Abiola was in solitary imprisonment for nearly four years. On the eve of his being released, after Abacha had died the previous month, he was wasted.
Why was MKO not released immediately after Abacha died? This and other questions are begging for answers.
In the second republic, Abiola was in the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). He was one of the greatest financiers of the party. However, he did not belong. If he did, he would not have been told by late Umaru Dikko, representing the northern oligarchy, that the presidency was not for sale.
During the regime of the self styled evil genius, after many Maradonic moves, he finally allowed elections to be held. The presidential elections were held on June 12,1993. The two presidential candidates were Abiola for the Social Democratic Party and Tofa for the National Republican Party.
Abiola defeated Tofa!
When informed rumours were circulating that Abiola was winning, the prices of commodities were crashing. While it was surprising, it was a sign that an Abiola presidency would have favoured the common man.
However, the presidency was stolen. The elections were annulled!
In fact, I believe the whole Nigerian nation was dragged in the.mud. But, did we.realise it. Or, have we been pretending? All of us were insulted. Truly, some of us demonstrated violently. A friend of mine picked up a nickname from the struggle.
June 12!!!
It was turned into a Southwest struggle because Abiola came from there. I think it was an embarrassment. If we could turn what should have been a national struggle into an ethnic affair, it shows the seriousness of the division in our country.
The federal government is yet to place Abiola in his proper place in Nigerian history. I believe he should be given the highest national award. The members of his family should be compensated. A national stadium should be named after him, he was named by the Organisation of African Unity as Africa’s Pillar of Sports.
June 12, should be declared the proper Democracy Day!!!
070717
