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Opinion: Beyond the ‘Politricks’ of June 12
By Raymond Nkannebe
Many Nigerians, including this writer still share the considered view that the decision by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration last year to post-humously recognise Chief MKO Abiola as the winner of the controversial June 12, 1993 election, was a red herring of sorts, or as some persons have chosen to describe it, a Greek gift.
Giving the timing of that audacious move, only a political neophyte would not see it’s political undercurrents. Since the mishap of June 12, the South West of the Country have not had a last word on the matter. It continues to feel betrayed and cheated after one of its own was denied the seat of the presidency in broad daylight. Not even the surreptitious enthroning of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as the president of the Country by the military hierracy in 1999 was enough to placate frayed nerves in the West for whom the abortion of the June 12 election was a non-compoundable evil.
The day had thus taken a life of its own and at least two states in the western region observed it annually as a public holiday with state-sponsored activities dedicated to its commemoration. Despite all entreaties made to successive Nigerian governments by the Yoruba intelligentsia since the return of democracy in 1999 to officially decorate June, 12 in the pantheon of Nigeria’s history, same have met a cold reception by Abuja.
While the administration of Good luck Jonathan came close to that with its contemplation of conferring post-humous National Award to the hero of June 12, it was talked out of it by the Justice Belgore award committee who was of the view that national awards cannot be conferred post-humously.
Apparently not persuaded by the sentiments of the award committee, and perhaps determined to consolidate his electoral chances in the South West in the permutations to the recently held general elections, president Muhammadu Buhari saw a political millage within a serious national question: June 12 and decided in vintage Machiavellian fashion, to kill two birds with one stone: boosting his acceptance in the West of Nigeria by the act of conferring even if post-humously, the highest Honour in the land to the acclaimed winner of the June 12 1993 elections, Alhaji Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola on the one hand, and rising to an instructive pan-Nigerian feeling-the genie of June 12 which over the years had become a national affair.
And I think the commendations that followed that deft move by the Buhari administration, even amongst those who acknowledge that it was a political move, says it all.
Of course no one can water down what June 12 represents in the historics of Nigeria. Not only was it an election that afforded Nigerians the opportunity to choose their leader democratically after the truncation of the second republic, it was a missed opportunity for Nigeria to consolidate on her traditional nemesis of division along ethnic and religious lines especially on socio-political issues.
After the ethno-religious sentiments that gave birth to the revenge coup of July 1966 and the civil war that it precipitated, Nigerians never had the occasion to speak on an issue with one voice without being overtaken by ethnic or religious bias. But June 12 was going to change the narrative.
Abiola, a Yoruba of the popular Egba clan and his running mate— Babagana Kingibe, a northerner of the Kanuri stock, were both Muslim candidates on the presidential ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and contested the June 12 1993 election against Alhaji Bashir Tofa; the Kano-born billionaire and his running mate, Harvard trained and Mbaise-born Sylvester Ugoh; who ran on the ticket of the National Republican Convention (NRC). It was the calculation of the NRC hierracy at the time that it’s more “balanced” ticket would give it an edge above the Muslim-Muslim ticket of its opponent, apparently in a bid to cash-in on the ethno- religious sentiments of the electorate.
But as it turned out, Nigerians on June 12 under the A4 Option of Prof. Humphrey Nwosu queued behind the Abiola-Kingibe ticket and just before the announcement of the result was aborted by the Babaginda Junta, Abiola had garnered a whopping 8,341, 301 votes ahead of his opponent’s 5, 954, 087 votes as unofficial reports put it before the annulment of the exercise. Not only that, Abiola was leading in 19 out of the then 30-state structure ahead of his opponent who managed 11 states. Instructively, Abiola won Alhaji Bashir Tofa in his home state of Kano. It was the first time a southerner would defeat a northerner in his home base.
And the message out of that was loud and clear. The electorates gave no hoot about the religious persuasions of the candidates. As one analyst put it, “it was a day that religion meant noting as far as who governs the country was concerned”. More than anything else, it was the “HOPE” for a better Nigeria that Abiola promised, that resonated with many Nigerians at the time, as it should be. But all of that was not to be. It is therefore from this sense of collective loss on the part of Nigerians who were all equal partners in the June 12 project, that it’s subsequent national appeal derives.
It is understandable however why the Yoruba have kept it closer to their heart. Not only was their son directly in issue in the political mishap, he would go on to die a very controversial death after prolonged incarceration by the Abacha junta and reportedly on a day he was due to be released. But beyond that, his beloved wife would also pay the supreme price following from her sundry activities in reclaiming the mandate of her beloved husband. It is along this context, I think, that June 12 remains an emotional affair for many Yorubas as Biafra is to the Igbo. However, that does not operate to take away it’s national allure, or make it a Yoruba-affair; hence why the signing into law of the bill marking June 12 as the official Democracy Day by president Muhammadu Buhari the other day, would go on after many years to become one of the remarkable acts of his presidency; to the extent that it was a move that struck at the chord of our journey as a nation.
Yet, it is not the mere commemoration of June 12 as Democracy Day that lays the ghost of Abiola finally to rest. That would be reducing the mysticism of the day. It must take a whole lot than the pomp and pegeantry that would pervade most government houses today to underscore the essence of June 12. As against being a day for outlandish celebration, it calls for serious reflection; not only on the life and times of the eponymous hero of the event, but also on the concept of democracy as a cherished system of Government in the 21st century and whether after 20 years of experimenting with Democracy, Nigerians could be said to have been given the “HOPE” the hero of June 12 promised.
In the United States for example, when the Martin Luther King day was declared, it was meant not just to honour him, but to uphold the principles and ideals he stood for as a champion of Civil Liberty whose campaign against racial segregation made America a better place. In much the same way, the celebration of June 12 would remain a cosmetic affair or another presidential pet project, if the ideals and values that go with it are not imbibed and internalised.
Without a doubt, two of those values stand out in the context of the June 12 election namely: free and fair electoral process and, the choice of leaders without recourse to narrow ethnic and religious considerations. Unfortunately, on both scores, Nigeria continues to wobble. The voting pattern in the last two presidential elections leaves a gory picture of a country deeply divided along ethnic and religious lines. Such voting demographics speaks volumes and portends a great danger for national cohesion. Certainly, those were not what June 12 looked like.
Away from the disturbing optics of the voting pattern in the referenced elections, is probably the more serious problem of electoral malpractices. It is to the collective shame of Nigeria and Nigerians that we continue to refer to an election conducted some 26 years ago as the freest and fairest in all our history despite the advancement in technology that could have been deployed to make the process a lot better. One of reasons why many pro-democracy activists enlisted in defence of the Abiola mandate was because of the consensus around it as a freely and fairly conducted election. It was therefore a cause worthy to die for. It is difficult to hazard a guess that anyone in our current patently rigged electoral process, would put their lives in the line for any candidate at an election; as it has become an open secret that politicians go to the polls to out-rig themselves.
If 26 years after, June 12 remains the model election for Nigeria, then it raises serious concerns for the hoopla about 20 years of uninterrupted democracy. It is an indictment that we have not made any progress in arguably the most fundamental ritual of any democracy: fee and fair franchise; which is what June 12 is most popular for. And there is no better proof of this than the cauldron of pre and post election cases now littered in our courts and tribunals.
It is in these key collateral failings that discourses around June 12 must be situated. Beyond the politics and Politricks of the event therefore, current and subsequent administrations must be seen to commit to the key values and ideals the absence of which brought about the mistake of June 12. It is only when this is done, that the memory of Abiola could be said to have been honoured and the essence of June 12 as a latter Democracy Day fully served. Not in its panegyrics.
Raymond Nkannebe is a legal practitioner
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Wealth is of the mind, and not necessarily the amount of money in one’s pocket or in the bank. It takes a great mind to know that if the only thing one has is money, that person is poor because at a stage in life, money may not play any role. It is worth noting that for one to pay for everything they need in life, it’s either they are poor, or you haven’t invested in anyone.
It’s always good therefore, to live for humanity. Life is not about ‘me’, but about humanity. When you consider other people, life works out for you. This is a timeless principle I have adopted overtime, especially when I see a progressive mind who is hungry to learn.
One of the reasons most people are poor is simply because they have the wrong mindset, ideology and information. It’s instructive to know that when you learn well, you stand a better chance of earning well because the more you know, the more you get paid. Nobody pays anyone what they desire, but what they deserve.
Let me explain a little; a poor mind will think a rich man is wasting money by paying triple for a three-bedroom apartment in a porsche neighborhood while a rich mind will think he’s paying for security, and peace of mind.
Again, a poor mind will think a rich man is being extravagant when he buys a luxury perfume or watch when he can buy a decent perfume which ordinarily will perform the same service, but a wealthy mind knows that in the real world, life is governed by perception. According to Dr. Joe Abah, “as a man, there are three things you shouldn’t compromise: solid watch, good shoes and nice perfume”. He further went on to state you can be as casual as you like but once those three things are present, you don’t need to tell anyone you are decently comfortable.
Do you see that life is not about how much you have, but how you manage what you have, but more importantly, how you people perceive you. Some people might have money, but they will find it difficult to invest in their outlook by buying decent clothes, perfumes, shoes and watches.
Another great source of wealth is information. Like I always say, information is power. If you are not informed, you are ill-informed, and once you are ill-informed, you can’t perform because information leads to reformation and transformation. So, it’s fair to say information leads to formation. You are a product of what you know.
It’s sad that many people don’t take time to invest in themselves by buying books of interest, paying for certification courses to enhance their knowledge, or even volunteering their time to intern to learn how great or successful people think.
When rich minds invest their minds to seek knowledge to gain information and knowledge which will set them apart from their contemporaries, they tend to gain access to opportunities in which they can earn decent money, entitled minds will begin to beg for money. That’s poverty mindset.
It should be noted, nobody owes you anything, most people worked hard to get to where they are today. They didn’t succeed because they looked nice, or luck favored them. Yes, those might be contributory factors, but the sacrosanct truth remains that, in civilized climes, they did the work, after all, luck is opportunity meeting preparation. If they were not prepared, the opportunity would have slipped by, and they would not have succeeded.
When we talk of wealth, it doesn’t only relate to money, wealth can also relate to how one thinks, speaks, acts, and prays. All these play critical roles in defining a human being. According to the Bible in Proverbs 17: 28, “Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue”. So if you are unsure about something, it is better to keep quiet because when you open your mouth, you tell the world who you are. So, when you meet a great mind, be careful how you engage them. That’s why it’s generally stated that it takes a minute for a great man to know if he likes someone who is seeking an opportunity. These great minds have six sense perception. They have the discerning minds to see through your mind.
There was a story I recently read from Dr. Femi Otedola’s book, “Making it Big”. The story is that of a young man who was trying to strike a deal with the business mogul. He came in an inferior car and was looking for a multi-million naira contract, Dr. Femi Otedola, being a shrewd businessman, evaluated the man and priced the him low, forcing him to grudgingly accept.
When the contact was sealed and the young man was about to leave, Dr. Femi called him back and asked him, do you know I priced you low? The man said no. Dr. Otedola said, it doesn’t make business sense to come with a cheap car to seek a multi-million business contract. What that really means is that you ought to dress the way you want to appear. Mr. Otedola, went on to inform him that in life, especially in business, perception rules.
Did you see it would have been better for the man to come in a decent car even though it doesn’t belong to him because he wouldn’t have been prized low. As a matter of fact, his value would have been elevated. The car opened a lot of canker worms about his mindset. Did you see that this statement corroborates with what the Bible stated in Proverbs 17:28.
The power of the mind can’t be overemphasized. Mindset cuts across every corner of our life. My late dad used to own a hospital with his brother, the motto of the hospital was “we care, but God cures”. That to me was very inspiring to know that doctors and nurses were limited in their thought process.
Furthermore, I once visited a general hospital in my hometown in Nigeria, each time I visited the hospital to see a patient, I discovered there’s always a gospel song in the background with a melodic soothing message to comfort everyone. In all honesty, even if one has given up hope of recovering, the song is capable of restoring hope. Again, that’s the power of the mind.
The moral here is that the mind controls everything. Napoleon Hill stated in his famous book, “Think and Grow Rich”, that “whatsoever the mind can conceive, believe, it can achieve it’.
In conclusion, if you want to be wealthy, please consider working on your mindset because that’s where everything, including success and failure start and end.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer and author of Design Your Destiny Design and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
Three Nigerian secondary schools are in the ring for the grand prize of N5m in the ongoing Glo Innov8 National STEM competition for girls in Senior Secondary Schools across the country.
The three top finalists were selected for their originality and innovation in the different entries for the competition. A total of 20 secondary schools were picked from over 200 schools which registered for the competition. After a series of considerations, 10 of them made it to the semifinal from which three; Ephraim High School, Isolo Campus, Lagos; Regina Pacis International School, Onitsha, Anambra State; and Peakfield Academy, Jos, Plateau State eventually coasted home to the finals.
Schools from Plateau, Kano, Lagos, Rivers, Edo, Borno, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Ondo, Oyo, Anambra, FCT, Delta, Kaduna and Adamawa states had signified intentions to participate following a call for entries by Glo Foundation, Globacom’s corporate social responsibility arm as part of its celebration of the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child.
Glo Innov8, a STEM-driven challenge, has scheduled prizes worth N5 million to the three schools in the finals. The competition “is geared at inspiring young girls to Compete, Innovate and Win, while also strengthening their confidence and expanding their knowledge in STEM subjects”, Glo Foundation explained.
The eventual overall winning school will go home with a cash prize of N2,000,000 while the 2 students representing the school will each get a laptop. The Teacher/Mentor/STEM Coordinator also gets N200,000.
The schools that come second and third places and their Teachers/Mentors/STEM Coordinators will also receive mouth-watering consolation prizes.
The three female judges of the virtual phase of selection of the top 20 schools said they were excited by the quality of presentations by the competing schools. One of them, Tosin Olabode said: “I was particularly impressed by the prototype presentations from some schools. They demonstrated that they had done their homework”.
In the same vein, Amina Gabriel disclosed that she was thrilled by the variety of ideas that the schools came up with. “The schools presented innovative solutions tackling issues in agriculture, security, waste management, and firefighting. The top 10 schools showcased outstanding prototypes, from apps to robots, making the judging process truly competitive. I’m grateful to Glo Foundation for the opportunity to serve and support young girls in STEM”, she said.
According to Sharon Ibejih, the third judge, “This competition has showcased a highly competitive next generation of women leaders in STEM. This was an excellent exercise and a means to encourage more students in STEM to develop problem-solving and innovative thinking skills”.
The overall winning school will emerge at an event set to hold later this year at the Mike Adenuga Centre (Alliance Française), Ikoyi, Lagos.
The leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a motion to stop the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in his trial for alleged terrorism.
Justice James Omotosho, on November 7, fixed November 20 for judgment on the case.
The judge fixed the date after Kanu’s defence was foreclosed following his insistence that he would not enter his defence under a repealed law.
However, in the motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, he personally filed, the IPoB leader sought seven reliefs.
In the application dated November 10 and filed same date, Kanu sought an order arresting the delivery of judgment in charge no: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015.
The document was made public on Tuesday.
In it, he alleged that the proceedings were conducted under a repealed and non-existent statute and in disobedience to the Supreme Court’s directive contrary to Section 287(1) CFRN 1999.”
He sought a declaration that by virtue of Section 287(1) CFRN, the trial court was constitutionally bound to give effect to the Supreme Court’s finding that count 15 (now count 7) “does not exist in law,” and its failure rendered all subsequent proceedings null and void.
He also sought a declaration that the court’s failure to take judicial notice of the repeal of the 2013 Terrorism Act, contrary to Section 122 Evidence Act 2011, vitiates all steps taken thereunder.
The IPOB leader equally sought a declaration that by virtue of Section 76(1)(d)(iii) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to try him in the absence of proof that the alleged conduct constituted an offence under Kenyan law or of any Kenyan judicial validation or extradition order.
Besides, Kanu sought “a declaration that the plea purportedly taken on March 29, under a repealed and non-existent statute and in violation of Section 220 ACJA 2015 is void and incapable of conferring jurisdiction.
