SPEECH
DELIVERED BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF OSUN, OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA,
AS PRINCIPAL GUEST OF HONOUR AT THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF JUNE 1993
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, HELD AT FREEDOM SQUARE, OLD GARAGE, OSOGBO, ON
WEDNESDAY JUNE 12, 2013
Protocols,
JUNE 12 AND THE NATIONAL QUESTION
I must thank the State’s 2013 June 12/Democracy Day Celebration Committee for organising this five-day programme of commemoration of the watershed presidential elections of June 12, 1993. That day was not an ordinary day by any stretch of the imagination. It was a day that was supposed to mark the beginning of the end of a long spell of military rule in the country. But by a twist of irony, the subsequent annulment of the election of that day unleashed a new phase of vicious military rule that lasted for another five years. However, it was to be an interregnum which eventually culminated in the present era of democratic rule that began in 1999.
But the crises that emanated from the June 12 election annulment brought to the surface the fundamental political cracks at the heart of our polity, which we have been papering over since independence. The annulment revealed in a most brazen manner the problem of unjust political domination and the need, therefore, to restructure our political system and redefine the basis of our national existence. This is a central concern of what is generally described as the national question. It is also the basis of the widespread call for convening a sovereign national conference to renegotiate the basis of our nationhood.
The national question remains unaddressed and we are still grappling with the drawbacks. Yet the national ruling power establishment continues to live in denial of this reality, and pretending as though the problems are not there, or nursing the futile hope that the problems will simply disappear, of their accord. They will not! Problems are not meant to disappear; they are meant to be addressed. For as long as we continue to refuse to summon the courage to face up to our problems; for so long shall we continue to struggle with their consequences.
This is one of the significance of commemorating the landmark date of June 12. Through its commemoration we continue to remind ourselves of the crucial issues tearing at the heart of our national being. And it is of utmost importance that we keep our national problems in the national consciousness. For this is an important way to ensure that we will someday be able to muster the resolve to do what is required of us to overcome these problems and build a truly virile country where justice, equal opportunity and the rule of law will reign supreme.
But as we keep our political problems in public consciousness, we must also keep the memories of our heroes and martyrs alive; those iconic individuals who stood firm for the principle of justice, fairness and democracy that we enjoy today. They fought doggedly in defence of the electoral mandate freely given by the people on that important date, June 12, 1993. In this regard, the winner of that historic election, Chief Moshood Kasimawo Abiola, and his wife, Alhaja Kudirat, will continue to loom large in our hearts. Because they dared to defy the evil and vicious men of power who decided to annul the democratic choice of the people, they were made to pay with their dear lives!
But they did not die in vain. Chief Abiola and his wife died for a just cause; they died for the liberation of all Nigerians from oppression by tyrants. Nigerians across all barriers willingly and freely entrusted them with their sacred electoral mandate; and when push came to shove, they did not falter. They valiantly stood firm and defended the mandate till the very end. We have mourned them for the past 20 years; we mourn them even now; we will continue to mourn them always. We will not tire in honouring their memory, as they did not waver in defending our mandate and freedom.
June 12 anniversary is not about Chief Abiola as a person or as a Yoruba man. It is about a true Nigerian who loved Nigerians without qualification or discrimination. In June 12, Chief Abiola achieved what no other politician had ever achieved in the country – the unity of Nigerians. For once, Nigerians forgot about their differences and divisions to rally behind Abiola’s candidacy. Surely, this must have meant that the man stood for something that the teaming masses of Nigerians could identify with as well as unite for.
June 12 and Chief Abiola represent a great lesson for Nigeria in nation building. They are a metaphor for the plausibility of unity in the country; that if we work hard at it, we can find worthy causes with which the people can identify and around which they can truly unite. This is the great lesson Chief Abiola has taught us in nationhood.
If Chief Abiola is the symbol of June 12, we must not forget the men and women of the movement, living and dead, who affected our lives in the most fundamental way and worked ultimately for the democracy we enjoyed today. We must never forget all the democracy activists who have put their lives on the line for the birth of democracy in our land before, during and after June 12.
Of course we have in mind myriads of activists like Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Prof Wole Soyinka, Comrade Femi Falana, Olisa Agbakoba, Bagauda Kaltho, Alao Aka-Bashorun, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Ralph Obioha, Shehu Sani, Honourable Olawale Oshun, Comrade Frank Kokori, Clement Nwankwo, Dr Beko Ransom Kuti, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Comrade Femi Aborisade, Comrade Ola Oni and other valiant men and women of the movement that time and space will not permit us to mention Many of them were hounded into exile, others were illegally detained in dinghy cells, while others were killed.
Yoruba people and Yoruba land were particularly targeted for retribution. Our people were specially victimised and our land invaded. We got to know later that much of the so-called Abacha loot found in foreign banks were actually deposits for arms with which the evil regime planned to wage war against Yorubaland before God intervened on our behalf.
These brave men and women are our heroes and your memories shall forever be with us. We will continue with the struggle and ensure your work is never in vain.
This is why, for us, June 12 is the real Democracy Day. It is the day that truly embodies liberty, freedom and unity for all Nigerians.
This is the 20th anniversary of that epochal event and the day has come in Yoruba poetic justice when a 20 year old pounded yam still scalds the hand. We have had enough scalding. We must revisit June 12. We are asking for the deannulment of the election and the posthumous declaration of Chief Abiola as president. This will not bring him back from the grave; it is only for the symbolism of righting a past wrong. We are also asking for investigation into the circumstances of his death. This is necessary to heal the wounds inflicted on national psyche by the annulment and bring closure to the whole saga. May God give us the courage to do what is needed.
I wish us all a happy anniversary and I thank you all for coming.
Protocols,
JUNE 12 AND THE NATIONAL QUESTION
I must thank the State’s 2013 June 12/Democracy Day Celebration Committee for organising this five-day programme of commemoration of the watershed presidential elections of June 12, 1993. That day was not an ordinary day by any stretch of the imagination. It was a day that was supposed to mark the beginning of the end of a long spell of military rule in the country. But by a twist of irony, the subsequent annulment of the election of that day unleashed a new phase of vicious military rule that lasted for another five years. However, it was to be an interregnum which eventually culminated in the present era of democratic rule that began in 1999.
But the crises that emanated from the June 12 election annulment brought to the surface the fundamental political cracks at the heart of our polity, which we have been papering over since independence. The annulment revealed in a most brazen manner the problem of unjust political domination and the need, therefore, to restructure our political system and redefine the basis of our national existence. This is a central concern of what is generally described as the national question. It is also the basis of the widespread call for convening a sovereign national conference to renegotiate the basis of our nationhood.
The national question remains unaddressed and we are still grappling with the drawbacks. Yet the national ruling power establishment continues to live in denial of this reality, and pretending as though the problems are not there, or nursing the futile hope that the problems will simply disappear, of their accord. They will not! Problems are not meant to disappear; they are meant to be addressed. For as long as we continue to refuse to summon the courage to face up to our problems; for so long shall we continue to struggle with their consequences.
This is one of the significance of commemorating the landmark date of June 12. Through its commemoration we continue to remind ourselves of the crucial issues tearing at the heart of our national being. And it is of utmost importance that we keep our national problems in the national consciousness. For this is an important way to ensure that we will someday be able to muster the resolve to do what is required of us to overcome these problems and build a truly virile country where justice, equal opportunity and the rule of law will reign supreme.
But as we keep our political problems in public consciousness, we must also keep the memories of our heroes and martyrs alive; those iconic individuals who stood firm for the principle of justice, fairness and democracy that we enjoy today. They fought doggedly in defence of the electoral mandate freely given by the people on that important date, June 12, 1993. In this regard, the winner of that historic election, Chief Moshood Kasimawo Abiola, and his wife, Alhaja Kudirat, will continue to loom large in our hearts. Because they dared to defy the evil and vicious men of power who decided to annul the democratic choice of the people, they were made to pay with their dear lives!
But they did not die in vain. Chief Abiola and his wife died for a just cause; they died for the liberation of all Nigerians from oppression by tyrants. Nigerians across all barriers willingly and freely entrusted them with their sacred electoral mandate; and when push came to shove, they did not falter. They valiantly stood firm and defended the mandate till the very end. We have mourned them for the past 20 years; we mourn them even now; we will continue to mourn them always. We will not tire in honouring their memory, as they did not waver in defending our mandate and freedom.
June 12 anniversary is not about Chief Abiola as a person or as a Yoruba man. It is about a true Nigerian who loved Nigerians without qualification or discrimination. In June 12, Chief Abiola achieved what no other politician had ever achieved in the country – the unity of Nigerians. For once, Nigerians forgot about their differences and divisions to rally behind Abiola’s candidacy. Surely, this must have meant that the man stood for something that the teaming masses of Nigerians could identify with as well as unite for.
June 12 and Chief Abiola represent a great lesson for Nigeria in nation building. They are a metaphor for the plausibility of unity in the country; that if we work hard at it, we can find worthy causes with which the people can identify and around which they can truly unite. This is the great lesson Chief Abiola has taught us in nationhood.
If Chief Abiola is the symbol of June 12, we must not forget the men and women of the movement, living and dead, who affected our lives in the most fundamental way and worked ultimately for the democracy we enjoyed today. We must never forget all the democracy activists who have put their lives on the line for the birth of democracy in our land before, during and after June 12.
Of course we have in mind myriads of activists like Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Prof Wole Soyinka, Comrade Femi Falana, Olisa Agbakoba, Bagauda Kaltho, Alao Aka-Bashorun, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Ralph Obioha, Shehu Sani, Honourable Olawale Oshun, Comrade Frank Kokori, Clement Nwankwo, Dr Beko Ransom Kuti, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Comrade Femi Aborisade, Comrade Ola Oni and other valiant men and women of the movement that time and space will not permit us to mention Many of them were hounded into exile, others were illegally detained in dinghy cells, while others were killed.
Yoruba people and Yoruba land were particularly targeted for retribution. Our people were specially victimised and our land invaded. We got to know later that much of the so-called Abacha loot found in foreign banks were actually deposits for arms with which the evil regime planned to wage war against Yorubaland before God intervened on our behalf.
These brave men and women are our heroes and your memories shall forever be with us. We will continue with the struggle and ensure your work is never in vain.
This is why, for us, June 12 is the real Democracy Day. It is the day that truly embodies liberty, freedom and unity for all Nigerians.
This is the 20th anniversary of that epochal event and the day has come in Yoruba poetic justice when a 20 year old pounded yam still scalds the hand. We have had enough scalding. We must revisit June 12. We are asking for the deannulment of the election and the posthumous declaration of Chief Abiola as president. This will not bring him back from the grave; it is only for the symbolism of righting a past wrong. We are also asking for investigation into the circumstances of his death. This is necessary to heal the wounds inflicted on national psyche by the annulment and bring closure to the whole saga. May God give us the courage to do what is needed.
I wish us all a happy anniversary and I thank you all for coming.
No comments:
Post a Comment