Shimee - The Legend

A big congratulations to this couples!

25 Years of Uninterrupted DEMOCRACY!
💥June 12 MKO Abiola Democracy day...🇳🇬

💥June 12 is a day of both triumph and despair for Nigeria's democratic rule by civilians. Many may ask why this is the case, given the fact democracy is still alive and well in Nigeria.

💥Well, MKO Abiola and Kingibe's victory in 1993 for the presidency during the military regime of IBB and Abacha was supposed to usher in an end to military rule but some Nigerians had other ideas. Whether it was fear of the unknown or jealousy in terms of the winner and his region of origin, only posterity can judge that action now.

🇳🇬Abiola was adamant that he was not going to give up his mandate and he fought to have it actualised to no avail. At some point he left the country to gather international support for it but did not completely succeed in that regard. On his return to Nigeria, he declared himself the president of the nation and was quickly arrested.

💥Remember that prior to this given the heated polity at that time, IBB left power and instituted an interim national government led by a civilian, Chief Shonekan with General Abacha as the army chief of staff.

💥Shonekan's government did not last more than a few months before Abacha planned and executed a coup to truncate civilian rule yet again. Marshall music was heard on the radio and on TV broadcasts all around the country. I General Abacha hereby suspend the constitution of the FRN...., this had become all too familiar to Nigerians since the first coup of 1966, first republic by Patrick Chukwuma Nzeogwu. It was during this time that Abiola was charged for treason and jailed despite efforts to persuade him to drop his presidential mandate.

🙏He spent 4 years in prison with the ever watchful eye of the military not too far behind. Even Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary general had met with him in addition to other foreign dignitaries to drop his ambition in exchange for his release but Aniola refused to do so.

🇳🇬It was around this time that the likes of Soyinka, Tinubu, Pa Rewane joined forces under the umbrella of NADECO to fight for an end to military rule and restoration of Abiola's June 12th mandate. Many of them had their houses bombed, killed or shot, family harassed or imprisoned, or forced into exile.

They were not to be cowered and stopped from their mission towards democracy for Nigeria, it was also during this time that Kudirat Abiola, MKO's wife was assassinated by the state on the streets of Lagos, while Nigerians were protesting daily and being shot in different parts of the country.

The University of Ibadan was one of those places in Oyo state which had a permanent presence of Army personne carriers parked in front of the gates with soldiers ready with AK-47 rifles. The menacing site must have instilled great fear and trepidation on Nigerians.

When Abacha died mysteriously in 1998, Abdulsalam Abubakar took over the military leadership of the country and promised elections within 12months - there was also a plan to release Abiola, however a day to his release after meeting an American official who offered him tea, Abiola slumped and died. His hope ambition not realised in his lifetime but Nigeria eventually returned to democratic rule with the 1999 election of former military president Olusegun Obasanjo.

This day is about the sacrifices of many well meaning Nigerians that birthed the longest period of democratic rule in the country. They did not die in vain. Democracy is never perfect, even in imperfection, we seek as a nation to improve and become a haven for our citizens to succeed and be happy.

We will NEVER forget the true enemies of democracy lurking still in the shadows!

🇳🇬HAPPY June 12 DEMOCRACY DAY🙏💥🇳🇬