Nigerians will never forget the good deeds of MKO Abiola. Not every hero wears a cap.
THE then military government of Nigeria under the auspices of General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the general election conducted in 1993. Before that Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola was a presidential flagbearer under the Social Democratic Party (SDP). A business mogul who ventured into politics to help the poor masses from suffering due to bad governance and the government's policy. He is a wealthy businessman that is known across the country at that time. A few among his politics mantra was "Farewell to Poverty".
Indeed, the people of Nigeria knew that MKO (as he was popularly called) is ready for business. But the future and dreams he envisaged for them were cut short as the result of the general election that took place was annulled by IBB. Despite the foreign observations across the polling units and MKO winning his opponents on landscape margins, the military government turned down the hopes of Nigerians. This arbitrary use of power was what led to the remembrance of the contribution of MKO Abiola in the Nigerian political scene. Although, May 29th is the original democracy day in Nigeria. But the Federal Government passed June 12 as the new official democracy day to commemorate the hero.
After the results were annulled by the then government. Nigerians and MKO's supporters showed their grievances by storming the government's house with placards and all sort of materials. This uproar was in progress when another coup was led by General Sani Abacha which toppled the government from IBB. Before this transition, there was an interim government led by Ernest Shonekan for a few months. Sani Abacha's regime was described as a draconic era. He was a complete dictator. At this point, MKO was seeking international intervention for his mandate. Upon his return to Nigeria, he declared himself as a democratically elected president of Nigeria.
Sani Abacha had to order his arrest and locked him up in prison for almost four years despite international interventions and pleadings. While in this struggle, MKO's wife - Alhaja Kudirat Abiola was murdered in cold-blooded assassin for declaring her support for his husband's mandate.
MKO was remanded in solitary confinement for many years. He was not giving medical attention despite his health issues. General Sani Abacha's regime violated many human rights. But the people of Nigeria were afraid to speak. Those who dared to voice out like Ken Saro Wiwa and co were made a scapegoat. It was in this struggle that MKO was assassinated in the prison shortly after Sani Abacha's death. The mandate was never returned until the hero died. Since the country has been seized by some cohorts, who control the resources and impoverish the people.
The day democracy died in Nigeria is JUNE 12.