By Emma Okah, emmaokah@yahoo.com, 08111811227
June 12, 1993, precisely 20 years ago, in this blessed land, history was made by one man, Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (M.K.O.) Abiola. Abiola contested and won what has been adjudged the freest election in Nigeria. Sadly, General Ibrahim Babangida and his kitchen cabinet at that time annulled the election. That annulment, painful as it has been, clearly set Nigeria on reverse gear and destroyed the political milestone that would have set Nigerians on an irreversible path of contemporary development. We say so because we have repeatedly held in this column and we restate it here, that the best way to solve Nigeria's problems is to enthrone electoral integrity, allow a "June 12" spirit and promote merit in the conduct of our national affairs. This is why we see Abiola as a legend that became the face of democracy and his election a watershed in Nigeria's march towards freedom. This is even more so because there has not been any like it since then.
In our view again, June 12 is like an institution. It set an examination for Nigeria and provided the answer in one scoop. It is at best, a one stop shop, the beginning and end of Nigeria's perennial problem. If any patriotic Nigerian is still in doubt as to what we should do or not be doing to get out of the woods, then June 12 is the way.
Abiola taught us that elections can be freely contested and won with minimum acrimony and that Nigerians can voluntarily exercise the choice of selecting who governs them. It teaches us that irrespective of religion, intercourse, occupation and political bend, Nigerians can still stand up for country and speak with one voice when duty calls. June 12 said so.
It is for this reason that we hold the annulment of that free and fair election, an unpardonable aberration that will continue to haunt us. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of Nigerians who have been and are still glad that the 1993 presidential election was annulled. To them, ethnic, religious and political considerations, though selfish in content and approach, override national interest, cohesion and progress. This is the point of abyss that the true search for permanent solution in resolving Nigeria's problems must be found.
Nigeria is at a crossroads with many citizens now accepting that things, which are abnormal in many countries, are to be cherished here. Shamefully, many Nigerians across divides have lost hope in the nation and no longer believe in Nigeria. To them, the spirit of June 12 is dead. But the truth is that it cannot die. It is immortal. To suggest its death is wishful thinking.
Having said this, we must address one issue that stares us in the face, a real threat to the full utilization of the real meat in June 12. While we savor the annual ritual of celebrating June 12 in Nigeria, many states in the South West of Nigeria have declared public holidays to show their degree of affinity to the sentiments of June 12. To be candid, beyond the ethnic dimension, some Nigerians too, have been fairly reflective of the message Abiola gave to the nation, the message of hope, equality of citizens and faith in the ability of the Nigerian people to change their destiny through a credible election process. In spite of this, there is a growing fear that the talk about June 12 and its historic lessons will become mere cosmetic adoration of an idea that will wither away like a seed on rocky ground. The truth is that in the last 20 years, the Nigerian political class has alienated themselves from the core message of Abiola's election. What we have today hardly goes beyond the funfare of the anniversary. It is another day of noise-making than a sober reflection on our national life and the challenges of nation building.
Even among the Yoruba, who in some way have personified the struggle and given it a large than life image at the onset, the story today is more of "do as I say and not as I do". Despite the shortcomings, we must give them credit for keeping some semblance of hope alive.
To capture the full essence of June 12, we must knock down all barriers that are impeding our national development, especially in terms of our electoral processes. We are still in bondage. Are elections now free and fair? Are Nigerians now free to elect persons of their choice? Are the electoral processes not skewed and manipulated from the onset to create advantage for some persons and parties? Are the votes of Nigerians not sold in the marketplace, available for the highest bidder? Are our choices of candidates in any election not influenced by primordial factors like tribe, religion, party affiliation, intercourse, language, etc? These and more questions are pointers that we are still far from the Abiola message.
However, we must ask ourselves why we have departed from the path of righteousness and followed electoral evil since 1993. Political glory has left the politicians and the way out is not yet smooth. What we have today is not only a departure from the Abiola creed but a total corruption of anything good about June 12. Take the states, for example. How many of the governors in Nigeria can beat their chest and proclaim free and fair local government elections handled by the States Independent Electoral Commission under their watch? Your guess is as good as mine. The answer is none. If that is the case, wherein lies the hope and freedom Abiola represented, or the fate of electoral integrity in Nigeria?
The greatest challenge to the attainment of free and fair elections, or better still, the "one man one vote" mantra is that the message is lofty but the messengers and apostles are not there. Across the political parties, the nation is in search of electoral role models. If the apostles are not there, how then can we repeat the Abiola feat in our future elections? Abiola's lesson in freedom of choice has been overtaken by greed and narrow considerations. New lexicons have taken political centre stage to make the Abiola message a non-issue. Today, we hear all sorts of absurdities. It is zoning, it's our turn, he is my brother, he is a Muslim, let us collect their money now because they will abandon us after the elections, etc. Therefore, the place of Abiola in history is fast being eroded by those who should stand for it. If we cannot believe and practice what Abiola taught us, then where is the significance of June 12 beyond the annual ritual of disturbing the spirit of a good man resting in Allah's Kingdom?
Recently, Olawale Olaleye summed it up this way, and we will end this edition on that note. Twenty years after the struggle and coming less than two years to the next general election, which is already a cause for concern; a time the country strongly craves the need to talk and review the coexistence of her people; a time a new constitution is in the offing, a time the challenge of security is overwhelming to say the least; a time good governance remains elusive; a time the scourge of corruption is almost synonymous with the name, Nigeria; a time that the human capital development has witnessed mesmerizing decline than any period in history; a time that the Nigerian story is not proudly told anywhere in the world, then the 20 years anniversary of the annulment of June 12 calls for a sober reflection, beyond regional whimsy.
Via: Sun News Online