…His words on marble
This week, specifically, Sunday, July 7, 2024, marks the 26th year remembrance anniversary of the death of Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, simply known as MKO Abiola. He won the June 12, 1993, presidential election by a wide margin. Unfortunately, high wire politics engaged by some forces of darkness chose to deprive Abiola of his victory. Like the Joan of Arc who was considered an heretic, only to be discovered to have been for real, Abiola has since been declared the winner of that election.
Unfortunately, one thing led to the other and Abiola died in detention.
However, Nigeria, being a country perpetually at war with itself, missed an opportunity to become great again – or, so it seemed.
The reason can not be far-fetched. For, Abiola, in his life time, was the epitome of industriousness, commitment, gregariousness as well as patriotism – although some Yoruba leaders who felt Abiola was complicit in the loss of that Yoruba socio-economic and political leader, Pa Obafemi Awolowo’s Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, to Abiola’s National Party of Nigeria, NPN, in 1979 and Yet, because of the national mobilisation that Abiola was able to achieve, leading to his victory at the polls on June 12, 1993, even his worst critics rallied behind him when he was denied victory.
But Abiola is no more.
Before his incarceration and death, Abiola had said many things about his hopes and aspirations for a new Nigeria. In fact, had social media been as ubiquitous as it is today, it would have been difficult for that military regime to deprive Nigerians of that moment of glory. All over the world, the place of instant communication leading to mobilisation of the populace against or in favour of a government policy has proved to be very potent as a means of social change. Therefore, Abiola’s time came ahead of the tools that would have made him succeed. Even at that, his electoral victory was achieved by his deployment of technology such that even without the official result being declared, Abiola’s agents across the country had turned in the results to a command centre and the result had shown that Abiola won that election.
As Nigerians remember Abiola today, Vanguard has harvested just a few of his documented words on marble, from the economy to patriotism, sports and his place in history.
By Jide Ajani
On Ibrahim Babangida and June 12 imbroglio?
President Babangida is a friend. If you look at the house and take a snapshot of all the pictures, you will find more of his pictures in my house than my own pictures. We have been friends for over 20 years – very close friends. There has been quite a lot of effort by some people to create some friction between us. These are very trying periods, but friendship is made to last and be passed from one generation to another. I believe that should be the case in our situation too. These are temporary difficulties the nation is passing through and some in the armed forces are passing through it. But you will not allow that to affect our relationship.
