NOBEL laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka has told President Muhammadu Buhari to stop showing loyalty to Nigeria’s former military dictator, the departed Gen Sani Abacha, ‘Abiola’s tormentor,” who arrested and detained the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, who, believably poisoned, eventually died in detention.
The president conferred Nigeria’s highest honour of GCFR posthumously on the late politician in Abuja on Tuesday at the 25th commemoration of the watershed election, where he, on behalf of the nation, apologised to Abiola’s family over his travails. Besides, he conferred the second highest honour of GCON on Abiola’s running mate, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe and foremost human rights crusader, Chief Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi, SAN.
While commending Buhari for apologising to Abiola’s family, Soyinka described the presidential apology as a dimension which he did not expect from the ceremony.
He asked Buhari to stop confusing Nigerians by showing loyalty to an unnamed individual whom he referred to as Abiola’s tormentor, who is generally believed to be Abacha, who detained the business mogul for about five years until he died in detention.
The Nobel laureate said it was confusing for Buhari to honour Abiola on one hand, and be admiring the late politician’s tormentor on the other hand.
Soyinka said that in a private meeting with Buhari, he had also raised concern over how the President could be saying his administration was fighting corruption, whereas a major road in the Federal Capital Territory had been named after a corrupt former leader.
He said he was not satisfied with the response he got from Buhari.
His words: “Most of what l wanted to say have been actually knocked off my mouth by one singular gesture: the presidential apology. It is a dimension which l did not expect from today’s ceremony.
“l had a lot to say, but fortunately the words have been taken off my mouth. However, l will like to make a request. Mr. President, since we are honouring heroes of democracy today, l will like to request that you manage to stop creating confusion in the minds of Nigerians.
“It is not possible to honour MKO Abiola in one breadth and admire his tormentor in another breadth. Loyalty is all very well but loyalty can become perverse if that loyalty is retained to an individual who if he were alive today would be before the International Court of Crimes against Humanity.
“The one who broke the laws of Nigeria, international laws, pauperised this nation, it is confusing if professional loyalty is carried so far as to be accorded such an individual.
“We had a private conversation some time ago and l remember one of the things which l mentioned to you. l said you are fighting corruption, how come that a notorious dictator, corrupt ruler, is honoured by one of the most important avenues in the capital of Abuja, whereas, individuals like the martyrs of the struggle, philanthropists have not been honoured?
“The answer you gave to me was not too satisfactory, but I let it pass.
“Today, perhaps is also an opportunity to inaugurate our Hall of Shame so that as we have our Hall of Heroes on the one hand, we can also have our Hall of Shame, as a lesson to future generation.
“But your apology has been most touching. On behalf of the Nigerian people, l accept it. I accept and l am sure that most Nigerians will agree with me.”
He also supported the call by the National Assembly that the June 12 poll result be formally released and Abiola declared as the winner, while the Abuja National Stadium be named after him as earlier suggested.
Soyinka added that the event itself should be seen as the beginning and not the closure to the event of June 12.
He said a closure to the event could only come after all the victims of the struggle had been honoured.
Soyinka added, “It is a beginning. l do not agree that this is closure to the event of June 12. There are far too many traumatised individuals walking around the streets, pauperised individuals walking around as a result of the policies and attitudes of one of the most brutal dictators. In fact, the most brutal dictator that this country has ever known.
“Closure will come by responding to those traumatised individuals or victims of unspeakable tortures, some of whom were compelled to watch even their beloved ones being tortured, on behalf of a man who was determined not just to demonise, to dominate his environment, but also to dehumanise that environment.
“All that is left for me is to plead so that we do not forget the nameless, the unsung heroes and heroines of that struggle.
“A number of names have already been listed but l will like to include one of the pioneers, the instigators of the physical confrontations with that dictator, Comrade Ola Oni, who mobilised a number of people and fought the goons and slaves and surrogates of that dictator in that auspiciously named stadium in Ibadan, Liberty Stadium.
“But above all, l want us always to remember that individual which we are principally celebrating today, the man who reappeared and represented himself, who did not understand the word ‘surrender’, saying ‘my name is Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, l am back to reclaim my mandate.’”
In return, on behalf of the family, Abiola’s daughter, Hafsat, also apologised to Buhari for whatever wrongs her father might have done him in the course of their relationship.
She said that nobody could have imagined, considering the kind of relationship between them, that Buhari would be the one to honour her late father.
Her words: “Who would have ever believed, given the relationship that you had with Chief MKO Abiola that you would be the instrument God will use to honour this man and to bring recognition and healing to the country?
“You apologised to my family and it touched my heart. You know that I also lost my mother in this struggle, so that apology meant so much.
“Let me use this opportunity, on behalf of Chief MKO Abiola, because I know what he would have done, to apologise to you and your family for anything that he might have done to harm you and to harm your family,” Hafsat told the President in an emotion-laden voice.
She quoted her late mother, Kudirat, as telling her that Abiola was already rehearsing his acceptance speech as of the time the election was annulled.
Hafsat, however, regretted that despite trying hard, the late business mogul could not go beyond the introductory line of the speech during the rehearsal.
According to her, all Abiola wanted to tell Nigerians in the aborted speech was how he loved them.
She said, “My mum told me how he (Abiola) would stand before the mirror as he was rehearsing his speech because the results were coming in and he thought he was going to deliver it.
“You know he used to stammer, so he would start by saying ‘My dear fellow Nigerians’ but he never really got passed ‘fellow Nigerians.’
“He would say a few words, and he would say he did not like that and then, he would start again. He kept struggling to say what he wanted to say to Nigerians.
“What MKO wanted to say to the Nigerian people and all that MKO did say to the people of Nigeria is to say, ‘I love you the people of Nigeria, I believe in you the people of Nigeria.’
“He was born Yoruba but he loved Hausa people, Kanuri, Efik, Igbo people, he loved all of you. You just needed to be a Nigerian and MKO was your man. If he could help he would do.
“There were so many things he already did to show that and that was why the people of Nigeria rewarded him with the mandate of June 12, 1993.
“But we know that he was never able to deliver that speech but in many ways, the event that transpired later revealed to Nigerians the eloquence in his heart, the fidelity of his commitment and even his own deep abiding wish that if there was any way his own actions would in any way compromise the people of Nigeria, MKO preferred to die.
“He preferred to leave the earth rather than compromise on you, on your integrity as a people, and your sovereignty as a nation.
“This was why even the day before he died, when he was still being pressured, he asked the question, ‘how do you shave the people’s heads in their absence?’
“He knew he was present in the room where he was pressured but he knew that so long as he refused to allow his own head to be shaved as a symbolic message to you the people of Nigeria that you will be saved.
“When he died, we accepted his body and have watched in Nigeria as year after year till now, the 25th year, you the people have suffered and he was not recognised at all.”
Hafsat regretted that while Abiola was committed to seeing Nigerians bid poverty farewell, more Nigerians were in poverty today than the figure in 1993.
By recognising June 12, Abiola’s daughter said Buhari had awaken many heroes and heroines of Nigeria’s struggle who stood firm on June 12.
“If there is any march that we need to march, if there is any protest that we need to be present to protest, you have called up your own new Army for the defence of this country.
“President Muhammadu Buhari, this fight will not take you God willing as it has taken MKO but let us fight and bring about the conclusion of MKO struggle that the Nigerian people should be the ones in full control of this country.
“It is not for a few landlords whoever they maybe, it is for the 200 million people of Nigeria,” she concluded.
Abiola’s eldest son, Kola, therefore, requested all family members in attendance to stand up while he thanked the President, saying they accepted his apology and the award.
“Mr. President, on behalf of the MKO Abiola family, we accept both the award and the apology. We will like to thank you for the great honour you have done our family.
“We thank you for taking the decisive measures to strengthen our democracy and guarantee our future by reconciling our past. Thank you very much sir. Generations to come will honour you for this,” he said.
Also, eldest son of the iconic human rights crusader and foremost lawyer, Chief Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi, SAN, Muhammed, in his goodwill message described Buhari as Nigeria’s first sensitive and reasonable Head of State for his decision to revisit the annulled election.
He spoke shortly after his mother, Ganiat, received the insignia of the GCON from the President, on behalf of his departed father.
He urged Nigerians to shun ethnicity and support Buhari.
Muhammed said, “Your Excellency, I want to congratulate you for this gesture. You are the first sensitive and reasonable Head of State that has listened to Nigerians and acted accordingly. June 12 is the foundation of democracy in this country. The recognition of Chief MKO Abiola as President-elect in this country, not as presumed winner, I thank God that I have seen today.
“I congratulate the family of MKO Abiola and everybody present. I am proud of all of you. I also congratulate all of my family members here present. These people stood their ground, sacrificed all they had for this country and I thank God that their sacrifices have not been in vain.
“Today is symbolic because it shows the entrenchment of unity of all citizens of this country regardless of your tribe, ethnic background, religious beliefs because we are all Nigerians.”
In his remarks, Abiola’s running mate, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe commended the President for the courage displayed by recognising June 12.
He said the gesture proved Buhari to be a man of conviction, who was clear on what was right and what was wrong; what was just and what was travesty of justice.
“The decision came to you naturally because you are a principled politician who refuses to be swayed by the expediency of the moments,” he stated.
Kingibe recalled Abiola as a man of great wit and persuasive powers, full of energy and a great philanthropist truly committed to improving the lot of the poor masses.
“Indeed, MKO was the messiah Nigerians never had the opportunity to feel his liberating impact. The annulment of June 12 election had the tragic consequence of dissolving that unity we as a people exhibited on that historic date and turning us into a divided people who began to see one another as enemies.
“We must be thankful that we eventually survived the prolonged crisis, even with all the collateral damage to our body polity. Today, the President has called upon us to intern the ghost of the acrimony surrounding June 12 and celebrate the principles and the joys it brought,” he said.
On his own part, National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said Buhari deserved a second term and he would work for his victory in the 2019 presidential election.
A former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, also lauded Buhari for the gesture and promised to work for his re-election.
Osoba admitted knowing how the coup that ousted Buhari as military Head of State was hatched.
Although he did not give details, the former governor thanked the Abiola family not only for accepting Buhari’s apology on the annulment of the election but for also apologising to the President for their late father’s action.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, said with the steps taken so far, Buhari had already announced the result of the annulled election as being clamoured for by stakeholders.
He joined others in commending the President for the gesture.
He called on Buhari to take a step further by directing security chiefs to restore the rights of all Nigerians.
Others, who spoke at the event, included Ayo Obe and Frank Kokori.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was one of those who were conspicuously absent from the Tuesday event, though he sent his apologies to the event as announced by the compere.
The former President said he was engaged outside the country as of the time of the event.
Babangida, who annulled the election, was also conspicuously absent. He also sent apologies, attributing his inability to attend to health issues. The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, was also absent.
Traditional rulers from the South-West including the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III; and the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, attended the event.
In his welcome address, Secretary to the Federal Government, Boss Mustapha, said Buhari had approved that some other Nigerians should be conferred with national honours for their contributions to democracy.
He however did not disclose the identities of the awardees, saying details would be made available later.
But in a copy of his speech made available to journalists, three beneficiaries were listed.
They include former Speaker, House of Representatives in the Third Republic, Chief Agunwa Anekwe; and two former Presidents of the Senate in the Third Republic, Iyorchia Ayu and Ameh Ebute.
