June 12: A Date With Destiny!

June 12: A Date With Destiny!

Last Friday marked another anniversary of June 12, since it was announced as Nigeria’s Democracy Day, 27 years after the criminal annulment of a presidential election that was globally adjudged the freest and fairest in the political history of Nigeria nay any African country.

June 12 has always been celebrated for all the positives and negatives it connotes, by advocates of democratic rule in the country, it however embraced a different meaning, focus and ideology, when President Muhammadu Buhari declared it as Nigeria’s true Democracy Day two years ago.

Truth is that June 12 is a date destined to be, even though its poster boy, Chief MKO Abiola, was prevented from delivering Hope ‘93. And whether or not anyone likes it, it’s a date to love and to cherish. It’s a date that reshaped Nigeria’s political history.

It’s a date that sent the military back to the barracks. It’s a date that reintroduced democracy notwithstanding its palpable imperfections. It’s a date that’s continued to give hope. It is a date meant to be and sanctioned by the universe.

Thus, as Nigeria continues to observe the date as notable in her political calendar, the actors and custodians of her common patrimony must not take anything for granted, its lessons especially. Although it’s been 21 years since the return of democracy to Nigeria, nothing so far suggests her gains are irreversible hence conscious efforts must be made to continue to guard jealously, this priceless gain of June 12: Democracy!

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