President Tinubu
On May 29, 1999, Nigeria gained freedom from Military rule. It should be recalled that the military hijacked power in the country in 1983 and ruled the nation maximally until May 29, 1999 when an election was held and a democratically elected President was installed on May 29, 1999. The date remained a public holiday used to mark Democracy Day. It’s also important to note another democratically implied date. That date is June 12, 1993 when MKO Abiola was democratically elected as President but the military used its might to annul the election even though he declared himself President. He however died in prison following his declaration. The south west States of the nation has been observing June 12 as democracy day with public holiday but for the very first time June 12, 2024 is today declared by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu led government as a national public holiday after the events of June 12, 1993.
President Tinubu in his June 12, 2014, Democracy message touched different aspects of Nigeria and Nigerians some of which are captured in this piece.
He began by paying glowing tribute to the martyrs of June 12, the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, and his wife – Kudirat Abiola, and other heros who have passed on ahead which include; General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and Pa Alfred Rewane, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief Abraham Adesanya, Commodore Dan Suleiman, Chief Arthur Nwankwo, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Chief Frank Kokori, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Chief Ganiyu Dawodu, Chief Ayo Fasanmi, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Chief Olabiyi Durojaiye, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Chima Ubani, among others.
Tinubu did not forget the gallant heroes of the democratic struggle who are still alive to watch democracy thrive in the nation like; Olisa Agbakoba, Femi Falana, Abdul Oroh, Senator Shehu Sani, Governor Uba Sani, Chief Olu Falae, and other National Democratic Coalition leaders such as Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Ayo Opadokun.
While acknowledging the resilience of the nation’s media and its invaluable contributions towards its democracy, Tinubu said: We could not have won the battle against military dictatorship without the irrepressible Nigerian journalists who mounted the barricades along with the pro-democracy activists. We celebrate them today, along with their media establishments such as The Punch, Guardian, National Concord, Tribune, The News/Tempo, and TELL Magazines. Military authorities proscribed these media establishments and jailed their journalists for standing for free speech and civil liberties.
The President in his appraisal also noted that: We made the right choice then. We must continue with that choice now. Today, 25 years after, we celebrate the silver jubilee of our journey in democracy. We have steadied the course.
Speaking on the import of democracy, President Tinubu says: While elections attract dramatic attention, they are but an aspect of democracy. Democracy is a way of life that encompasses a broad outlook of which elections are but a part. As such, a nation can have elections without being democratic. But a nation cannot be truly democratic without holding elections. That we have established a tradition of holding transparent, open, and fair elections gives credence to our democratic bearing. That we have experienced peaceful transitions of government, affirms our democratic temperament.
Speaking further, Tinubu maintains that: What democracy demands is that we do not resolve differences through force and repression, but we make allowance for the legitimacy of views that differ from our own.
He acknowledged being a beneficiary of the democracy now in place even as he also noted that he was part of the struggle. Moving forward, President Tinubu said: I am now a direct and obvious beneficiary of the fruits of those historic efforts. As president of this nation, I am morally and constitutionally bound to preserve this precious form of governance. I vow to do my utmost best to protect your rights, freedoms, and liberties as citizens of Nigeria. Even more than that, I pledge to do whatever is necessary to cement democracy as our way of life.
Tinubu affirms the poor state of the nation’s economic life and calls on citizens to commit themselves to the fulfilment of the realisation of an economic democracy saying that he understands the economic difficulties facing the nation.
While acknowledging that the nation is in desperate need for reforms he regrets that the economic woes of the nation stems from being built on the flawed foundation of over-reliance on revenues from the exploitation of oil. However, he said his administration has initiated reforms intended to create a stronger and better foundation for future growth saying that the reforms have occasioned hardship on citizenry, but are necessary repairs required to fix the economy over the long run so that everyone has access to economic opportunity, fair pay and compensation for his endeavour and labour.
