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By CHUKWUDI NWEJE
As pro-democracy and human rights groups mark the 25th anniversary of the death of the winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola on July 7, President of Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin has said the best way President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can honour Abiola is to address issues around posthumous benefits of the late MKO Abiola as well as work to realize Abiola’s vision for Nigeria.
She said addressing Abiola’s posthumous benefits and realizing his vision for Nigeria is the only way Tinubu will retain credibility as a founding member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).
She said, “Yes, there are issues of posthumous benefits which this President must treat to retain a NADECO credibility.
“It would be intense moments if, when, governance brings positive impact on the regular Nigerian… Restructuring, security, economy, health, protected commonwealth, standardizing the Nigerian identity… All these chicks could not be gathered in one fell swoop, but how much could be done? Done well in a single dive?”
Odumakin stated this in a short tribute to commenorate the anniversary of the death of Chief M.K.O. Abiola,
She said that it is not by happenstance that Tinubu, one of the leaders of NADECO, the group that led the struggle to actualise Abiola’s June 12 mandate is now President of Nigeria, and added that Tinubu must now strive to realize Abiola’s vision for Nigeria.
The tribute read, “This anniversary of the death of June 12 warrior, an enduring national conversation confronts an interesting context.
“A key member of the NADECO movement sits in the office of Nigerian President. The office which represented the prize over which blood was spilled, lives destroyed and anomie firmly established.
“M.K.O. Abiola stood in the gap between light and darkness. An unfamiliar angel of a different hue who was read as too deep into comfort for a fight. But they read him wrong.
“Looking back 25 odd years after, a drastically changed political landscape, what is left of the vision of M.K.O., The continental activist for reparations. The global quest for respect for sovereignty. He would ask…’we are a sovereign nation, or aren’t we?’ The chorus. was a deafening “we are !!!”.
“How does this moment then evolve? Abiola’s embers, nay, members are holding the reigns. How much of the giddy past would the inheritors remember?
“How would a NADECO activist run town in an edifying memorial to the cause of a martyr and indeed a cause he came to own. Could there be a greater quest than this? “Was it providence providing a wild tempt for the most effective Nigerian opposition to now be the one to be opposed?
“Yes, there are issues of posthumous benefits which this President must treat to retain a NADECO credibility.
“It would be intense moments if, when, governance brings positive impact on the regular Nigerian… Restructuring, security, economy, health, protected commonwealth, standardizing the Nigerian identity…japa etc.
“All these chicks could not be gathered in one fell swoop, but how much could be done? Done well in a single dive?
“If the portrait of a patriot, a warrior, murdered, could look down on this President’s table …it is not impossible to imagine that the essence of his memory would be honored. Perhaps a fair measure before the next anniversary of that murder most foul.”
Chief MKO Abiola, winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election died on July 7, 1998, barely one month after the death of General Sani Abacha on June 8 of the same year. Some reports said Abiola was due to be released the next day, but died shortly after taking I’ll whíle meeting with group of American diplomats.
He was awarded the National honour Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR), an honour awarded to only Nigerian heads of state, posthumously on 6 June 2018 by President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigeria’s democracy day was also changed to from 29 May to 12 June in his honour.
