My June 12 diary – LADIPO ADAMOLEKUN
The three “Diary” entries reproduced below to share with readers were actually”Jottings” that were extensions to my shorter daily diary entries. Twenty-five years after the infamous annulment, I still stand by my position on Babangida in the first entry: “He has exposed Nigerians at home and abroad to ridicule and he certainly does not deserve a decent end.” Late MKO Abiola Similarly, I have remained a firm proponent of restructuring our overcentralised federation as summed up in the second entry: “… an immediate first step toward keeping Nigeria one is to transform the central government into a small authority with other powers and resources transferred to states and local governments.” Finally, President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration of June 12 as the country’s Democracy Day together with the award of GCFR to late MKO Abiola, and the apology to the Abiola family on behalf of the nation, could mean that “the opportunity provided by the Abiola victory” is not lost forever, contrary to the fear expressed in the last entry. Babangida’s Nonsense
The peaceful conduct of elections on June 12 was acknowledged by national and international observers who proclaimed the elections free, fair and credible. The biggest surprise of all (at least, for me) was the decisiveness of M. K. O. Abiola’s victory, an unambiguous and emphatic vote for “one Nigeria”. Babangida’s annulment of the result of the June 12 elections confirmed his lack of commitment to “one Nigeria”. (He most certainly fought the civil war out of duty and not out of conviction). The annulment also revealed his total commitment to, and unlimited faith in, manipulative politics. More importantly, the annulment marked the beginning of his end. Only two questions remain: when will the end come and in what circumstances? He has exposed Nigerians at home and abroad to ridicule and he certainly does not deserve a decent end. July 11, 1993. B. June 12 and the Future of Nigeria In a conversation with a Nigerian colleague in IMF on January 3/95, I had to spell out my commitment to the June 12 Movement. He had compared the June 23 annulment of the June12/93 presidential elections to the Buhari coup that sacked Shagari administration in December 1983. Furthermore, he mentioned that the Constitutional Drafting Assembly had agreed on rotational presidency with the next president coming from the South.
He concluded that the country could move on from this point. I responded by highlighting three main reasons why the future of Nigeria – rather, whether Nigeria has a meaningful future – is tied to June 12. The Babangida argument that key persons (dominant group) within the military did not want MKO Abiola, the winner of the June 12 elections, to become president is the ultimate illustration of military diktat. This should not be allowed to stand. Tens of soldiers should not be able to reject the electoral verdict handed down by 14 million+ Nigerians. Above all, for me, a fundamentalist against military rule, this form of military arrogance must be resisted. The pattern of voting for MKO Abiola that cut across existing dichotomies – North/South, Christian/Muslim, inter-ethnic and majority/minority – was a loud assertion of the wishes of Nigerians across these divides to constitute ONE nation-state. Significantly, this was done through peaceful, free and fair elections, attested to by both internal and external observers. Rejection of the mandate and legitimacy conferred by this vote raises serious questions regarding the extent of commitment to one Nigeria by those responsible for the annulment and their supporters.
And will electoral legitimacy ever be respected in the country if the annulment is allowed to stand? 3.The “talk” that MKO Abiola would not be president because he is a Yoruba southerner is widely linked to the assertion or perception that Hausa-Fulani northerners wish to continue to hold the topmost political position in the land. The crucial question is whether all Nigerians are free to compete for the top leadership position and, if successful, assume that responsibility. In other words, are all Nigerians entitled to equal political rights? If the answer were to be in the negative, then the idea of keeping Nigeria one would have to be abandoned. At the end of the conversation, we agreed that an immediate first step toward keeping Nigeria one is to transform the central government into a small authority with other powers and resources transferred to states and local governments. Here is an area where some forward thinking could continue while the prevailing mess is sorted out. January 3, 1995 C. M. K. O. ABIOLA –A Tribute MoshoodKashimawoOlawale Abiola is no more. His death on July 7 has all the hallmark of a sacrifice. Some would like to see it as a sacrifice to “keep Nigeria one”.
For those who belong to this school of thought, his removal from the political scene would make it possible to continue with “politics as usual”: sans convictions, sans integrity, and sans dignity. This should not be the case. Instead, it would make sense to regard his death as a sacrifice both for the dignity of the Yoruba and for democracy in Nigeria. No sooner did Abacha arrest him in 1994 than I concluded that Abacha would never release him from detention. Indeed, I agreed with the view that Abacha could arrange for him to be killed in the event of his own (Abacha’s) death. Almost exactly one month after Abacha’s death [June 8], Abiola allegedly died of heart attack, as was purportedly the case with Abacha. Was there foul play? We may never know. In addition to Abacha, I would also hold Babangida responsible for Abiola’s death because his infamous annulment of the June 12 1993 presidential election results was the start of the chain of events whose end we still cannot foretell. I remember Abiola as a shrewd and accomplished businessman with a very large heart. His philanthropy was genuine; not just an expiation for the egbin (dirt) associated with wealth. His contributions to a variety of causes demonstrated the breadth of his interests: religion, publishing, sports and education, among others.
There was nothing incongruous in his struggle for political power. Indeed, his great triumph of June 12 1993 was a landmark political victory in Nigeria as he provided evidence that the country could be maintained as a single political entity. But as we wasted the opportunity of the civil war, the opportunity provided by the Abiola victory is now lost forever. Will there be a third opportunity for the country? Abiola has died a Yoruba martyr and a martyr for democracy in Nigeria. He upheld the dignity of the Yoruba nation. I am confident that he will live forever in the hearts of his people and of all true democrats in Nigeria. Sun re o, Are Onakankanfo July 7, 1998 Nigeria Notes (New Series)
Professor Ladipo Adamolekun writes from Iju, Akure North, Ondo State.
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