Tag: 17 years after

Seventeen years have passed like a flash of lightning since the winner of the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola, died in detention. The life and times of the businessman-turned politician were recalled by family members and pro-democracy activists, who converged on his Ikeja, Lagos home to mark the anniversary of his death. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU reports.

On July 7, 1998, Nigerians were in a mourning mood. The beleaguered country had woken up to shock of the demise of a colourful politician and liberator, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, in detention. There were protests by university students. The human rights community was enraged. It was a double tragedy. Abiola won the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election as the flag bearer of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP). But, instead of giving him the crown, the military threw him into detention. He never returned alive.

It was a grand conspiracy. The military rulers and their civilian collaborators teamed up subvert the most elongated transition programme under the Babangida administration. The combative military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, stepped aside in disgrace, following a popular uproar. But, his exit did not herald the restoration of democracy. Instead, the struggle for civil rule led to the detention of the symbol and his death, to the consternation of Nigerians, who shunned ethnicity and religious leanings to give him a popular mandate.

At a solemn ceremony at his Ikeja, Lagos residence, few human rights activities converge to pay tribute to the symbol of democracy. Former Lagos State Military Governor Ndubusi Kanu described him as a man of the people, who secured the mandate to serve, but was brutally denied. Foremost lawyer, Mrs. Pricilla Kuye (SAN) said that his death has created a vacuum. A right activist, Ayodele Adewale, said Nigeria would have been better, if the military had allowed the popular will of the people to stand.

Also, the leader of the Campaign for Democracy (CD) and Women Arise (WA), Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, lamented that the military robbed the country of Abiola’s services. She said the politician died without realising his vision of the abolition of poverty.

Many Nigerians were fond of Abiola in his life time. He was the people’s man. Abiola worked and made money. But, he also plough back to the society. While alive, he was the greatest philanthropist, who extended a duty of care to his neighbour. The wealthy businessman became a household name as he donated to homes, mosques and churches. Although a Muslim, he never discriminated against other faiths. He also loved life and led a full life, acquired wealth and wives. Having acquired economic, social and media power, he still felt unfulfilled without political power. Paradoxically, the legitimate pursuit of political power ultimately became his undoing.

Seventeen years after, the circumstances surrounding Abiola’s death is shrouded in controversy. Few days before the unexpected death, Abiola was seen in newspaper smiling when some top military brass visited him. There were speculations that he passed after sip tea. His physician, who saw him before he passed on, was not allowed to medically examine him in detention. Irked by what he described as a questionable social visit, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) vent his anger on him, saying that he visited his patience without a stethoscope. When he died, an autopsy was conducted. The result is yet to be made public.

Nigerians are still rattled by some puzzles: why was Abiola not released, following the death of Abacha and assumption of office by the Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar? How did he died, having survived five years of humiliation in detention? Was he murdered to prevent the continuation of the struggle for the revalidation of the June 12 election results? Was there a hidden agenda in the entire scenario?

Yet, many people unhappy that efforts to immortalise him has met a brick wall. Although the Abdulsalami, Obasanjo and Yar’Adua regimes did nothing to immortalise him, the move by former President Goodluck Jonathan, who officially recognised him as the President-elect to name the University of Lagos, Akoka after him sparked controversy. The former President had to retrace his steps.

Generations yet unborn will learn from the lessons of June 12. It was a free and fair exercise. Even, Abiola’s rival, Alhaji Othman Bashir of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) accepted defeat. Twenty two years after the historic poll, those who annulled it have not shown remorse for their democratic bankruptcy. It is an irony of political life that the unscrupulous elements who subverted the transition programme became the main actors when civil rule was restored in 1999.

Abiola, the Basorun of Ibadan and Aare Ona Kankanfo of Yorubaland, was in psychological trauma in detention. Before he threw his hat into the ring, he had endured the tragic loss of his first wife, Simbiat. But, he had not recovered from the murder of his second wife, Kudirat, when he suddenly died. The Amazon had sustained the struggle when her husband was in detention. But, Abiola never betrayed the import of his Oyo title: the Generalisimo. He was a man of valour; a great warrior and fighter. Although he was harassed,  abused and blackmailed, he refused to surrender. His life, said Admiral Kanu, was a lesson in determination, consistency and dedication to principles.

According to pro-democracy crusaders, Abiola died a martyr. His death marked the end of  an era. He was a colossus, not only in the collective agitation for an end to military rule, but also in the fight for the emancipation of Africa, who led the crusade for reparations in Africa. In his view, the descendants of the poorest of the poor; the hewers of wood and fetchers of water deserved compensation for slavery in Europe and America.

Many factors accounted for his victory on June 12, 1993. But, the greatest factor was his national acceptance. The annulment of the election had implications. It denied Nigeria of a precedent. “Had the election results seen the light of the day, Nigeria would have laid a solid foundation for the sanctity of the ballot box,” said Ayo Opadokun, the Coordinator of the Congress of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER). He added: “The The four elections that took place after the June 12, 1993 elections were flawed because those in charge were accomplices, military lackeys, military confederates and others who assisted the military to annul June 12.”

Another lesson of June 12 was the absence of thuggery and violence on poll day. Also, there were no malpractices. The poll was peaceful nationwide. There were no malpractices, thuggery and violence. To domestic and foreign observers, Nigeria was coming of age. However, Babangida dribbled himself into the dark book of history, emerging as a modern Moses, who saw the promised land from afar and could not get there, having  programmed the longest transition process to fail.

Had Nigerians listened to the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, perhaps, the story would have been different. Weary of the military deceit, the late sage cautioned against the illusion of hope. He said the transition programme will lead to nowhere. According to the poll results, Abiola scored 8,341, 309 votes, representing 58.36 percent of the total votes cast. Babangida was dazed. Intoxicated by power, he declared that although he knew those who would not succeed him, he did not know those who would succeed him. He added: “We are not only in government, we are in power.”

Abiola was conversant with military tricks. He knew that he could not be salvaged by the Army. He enlisted the people in a war for democracy. He said, having voted for him, Nigerians expected him to assume the reins on August 27, 1993. “ I intend to keep that date with history,” he said. Although he declared himself President-elect at Epetedo, he had to go into hiding to escape the barrel of gun.

Abiola fought gallantly. But, it was evident that he lack the experience of a politician. Gradually, SDP chieftains deserted him. They spoke from the two sides of the mouth. When he travelled abroad to drum support for the struggle, former Information Minister Comrade Uche Chukwumerije mocked him as  the first Aare Ona Kankanfo of Yoruba to have deserted the battle field. As June 12 divided the polity, associates were changing allegiance. The Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) led by Senator Arthur Nzeribe, was active in discrediting the election.  Former Military Vice President Augustus  Aikhomu said Abiola was not fit to rule, adding that the rich are not necessarily philosophical kings.

According to observers, history merely repeated itself on June 12, 1993.  Ten years ago, Abiola was denied nomination form by the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN).The gate of the party secretariat was shot against him. Former Transport Minister Umaru Dikko, told Abiola that “the Presidency is not for the highest bidder.”

However, in the aborted Third Republic, he seized the polity by storm. Having banned, unbanned, and banned prominent politicians, the political class was weakened by Babangida, who, according to observers, had assumed full executive powers, without the accompanying checks and balances. Nigeria was groaning in poverty. Abiola said he was ready to lay down his life, which he eventually did.  In his famous Epe Declaration, the SDP flag bearer said: “Never before has there been such a cynical and contemptuous abrogation of solemn commitment and fixed programme.”

Babangida prevent Abiola from succeeding him. But, he, however, failed in his self-perpetuation bid. As he stepped aside, he handed over to an interim contraption headed by Abiola’s kinsman from Ogun State, Chief Ernest Shonekan.  Another kinsman, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo said it was regrettable, but understandable. The interim government lacked legitimacy.  It was short-lived. On November 10, 1993, Justice Dolapo Akinsanya of the Lagos High Court dismantled it, saying that it was illegal. Gen. Sani Abacha later sacked Shonekan and proclaimed himself as the Head of State.

The nation was backed to square one. Abacha abolished all democratic structures at the state and federal levels, disbanded the National Electoral Commission (NEC), banned the two political parties and set up the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC). Then, he promised to hand over to Abiola. In their naivety, credible politicians were cajoled to serve under the administration as ministers, thereby mocking their antecedents as June 12 travelers. The military Head of State later initiated a self-succession plan, which collapsed when he mysteriously passed on.

Few days after Abacha died, Abiola also died in detention in controversial circumstance. His death in detention provoked outrage and condemnation. Human rights activists alleged that he was killed in detention. The autopsy is still in the realm of conjecture.

Abiola was born on August 24, 1937 in Abeokuta. He started his formal education at the Nawairu-u-Deen School, Abeokuta in 1949. From there, he proceeded to the African Central School, Abeokuta between 1945 and 1950. He attended the Baptist Boy’s High School, Abeokuta between 1951 and 1956.

After his secondary education, he worked as a clerk with the Barclay’s Bank, Ibadan. He also worked in the Western Region Finance Corporation. There, he rose from an Executive Officer to a Higher Executive Officer.

In February 1961, Abiola secured a Western Regional Scholarship to study Accountancy at the Glasgow University, Scotland, graduating with prizes in political economy, commercial law and management accountancy. He was at the Institute of Chartered Accountant, Scotland, majoring in financial planning, business organisation and management. He got his charted certificate in 1966.

When he returned to the country, Abiola worked as a Deputy Chief Accountant at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos. In 1967, he joined the Pfizer Product as Divisional Controller. In 1968, he left for the International Telephone and Telecommunications as a Controller. He rose to become the Managing Director and Chief Executive. He was the first African to attain that position.

Abiola was an investor. He founded the Radio Communications Limited, in conjunction with Haris Communications of the United States in 1974. In 1989, he established Wonder Bakeries Limited and the Concord Group of Newspapers.  He received over 200 chieftaincy titles from across the country and over 50 academic awards.