Democracy Day for Nigeria suppose be time to remember how we take fight for freedom from military rule, but many people dey ask if di celebration still make sense. Ask Nigerians wetin dem think about dis current system of government wey dem welcome back on May 29, 1999; those wey witness am most likely go express dia disillusionment. For those wey born inside dis Fourth Republic, especially Gen Z, dem go dey lost for right words or dey spew out some invectives and then return to dia phones for social media for succour.
Wetin else dem go turn to anyway? Dem dey live with di consequences of government underperformance everyday and find am hard to imagine dat di country no dey always dis discomfiting and inhibiting. Dem practically know no other life. But di real tragedy of our own variant of democracy no be just say dividends remain largely elusive; wetin one of its finest moments dey beg to teach us don dey ignored for too long.
For record, Nigeria always mark May 29 as Democracy Day since 2000 before di government of President Muhammadu Buhari change am to June 12 in honour of di presidential election of 1993 wey dem believe be di nation’s freest and fairest, wey Chief Moshood Abiola win but di then Military President Ibrahim Babangida annul am. For trying to right dat wrong, Buhari officially declare Chief Abiola di winner, award am di highest national honour and effect di date change. Many people see dose moves differently, however; to dem, di former leader only dey pander to sentiments and agitations of western Nigeria, Abiola home base, to secure crucial votes for his 2019 re-election bid.
Anyway, scheming and politics be regular bed-mates. But as I don argue elsewhere, di justifications for shifting democracy commemoration date from di anniversary of di last exit of soldiers from political power under such partisan atmosphere go later wear off and give way to resentment, if no be widespread noncompliance. Here why: as momentous as June 12 be, e no don properly establish as true national monument, a moment wey di fault lines wey still dey try to crush di Nigerian spirit melt for face of di country unanimous and overriding hunger for return to civil rule.
Another catalyst for di decisive, popular resolve wey dem demonstrate 33 years ago be di very personality of Abiola. There something about his mass appeal wey sweep across Nigeria like frankincense. Here be a billionaire, easily among Nigeria richest and one of its most colourful, wey refuse to lose touch with di downtrodden. I still wonder whenever I pass through Toyin Street for Ikeja, Lagos wetin make di place suitable for his residence when e fit comfortably acquire luxuriant, palatial homes for Ikoyi, Victoria Island and elsewhere. His campaign tagged Hope 93 simply magical; both rich and poor queue up from Lagos to Sokoto, Maiduguri to Calabar, to press dia thumbs into di Social Democratic Party (SDP) spaces on di ballot papers. No Muslim-Muslim ticket dichotomy, no my-turn your-turn syndrome.
There whole lot to unpack about June 12, if no be for di sake of di old wey don take eternal stand, e fit be for those wey dem then either unborn or mature enough to digest dat historic period. Political historians suppose dey interested for how true national mandate quickly become minimised to regional one. Wetin make Abiola succeed where Chief Obafemi Awolowo, arguably di west most revered leader, fail? How such ambitious, monumental, albeit aborted, occasion be reduced to injustice done to a section of di federation? Sadly, dat sentiment seem to attach itself permanently to dis somewhat sacred date. Di nation appear to squander chance to forge genuine nationhood based on di positives of dat election.
Something fit unravel down di line wey go challenge di suitability or credibility of di official date to celebrate our democracy. A little here and a little there, di quest for rotational presidency begin during di legendary democratic struggle of di 1990s like Siamese twins. Di immediate beneficiary of dat circumstantial blackmail, di People’s Democratic Party (PDP), make kill of di sentiment and ride on am to power; an attitude wey don degenerate to entitlement, otherwise called emilokan or awalokan. Never mind say rotation no don find its way into di constitution; e don already etch on di psyche of many Nigerians. If only dat go lead us to desirable destination. No one dey sure say e go.
Wetin certain be say, for metaphysical sense, Nigerians still dey search for Abiola figure, someone truly loved by majority of di people for his humanity, vision and drive, a nationalist devoid of known myopic inclinations and practices. Fast forward to present. Three decades dey long enough to move any individual, institution or country either upwards or downwards for any index of development. Di fear, uncertainties and authoritarianism wey dem experience during military incursions into government left Nigerians with no viable options than go for democracy. Dem don go through colonial rule, endure di foibles and excesses of First Republic politicians wey ultimately result for coup of 1966, watch di shortcomings of di administration of Alhaji Shehu Shagari wey serve as pretext for di comeback of di khaki boys, and almost overcome by di recklessness and dictatorship of jackboot leaderships from December 1983 to 1999.
General Abdulsalam Abubakar hand-over to President Olusegun Obasanjo on May 29, 1999 no fit come at better time; a huge relief wey don dey go southwards, unfortunately. One no need to be sceptic or pessimist to wonder weda wetin obtain now be worth celebrating. But den, di very concept of perfection be otherworldly, meaning di way forward go always dey fraught with challenges. Luckily, our past no always be despicable; so to make progress, learn from June 12 we must. Nigerians dey capable of setting dia differences aside and speaking with one voice. Di present election umpire fit exhibit probity; public perception indispensable here. Di political class fit display maturity for dis game against all odds. Alhaji Bashir Tofa, Abiola opponent wey accept di result without drama and one of di most unappreciated leading lights of dat era, deserve to be emulated by di opposition. Away from grandstanding and belabouring his role for di restoration of our democracy, President Bola Tinubu suppose lead di way for ensuring say Abiola and indeed di rest slain heroes no pay di ultimate price for vain.
