June 12,1993 was celebrated in honour of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, who was assumed to have won the 1993 presidential election.
The election was cancelled by the then Military President Gen. IBrahim Babangida. In 1994, M.K.O.Abiola declared himself the lawful president of Nigeria at the epetedo area of Lagos Island a site which by now ought to house Institute of Democratic studies .After declaring himself as the president elected he was decleared wanted and was arrested on the orders of then military president.
M.K.O.Abiola was detained for 4 years without trial,he died on July 7,1998 on the day he was due to be released. No doubt his death still required an high profile probing.
M.K.O.Abiola died for the June 12 mandate but he was not the only June 12 casualty as Gen.Sani Abacha also died in mysteriously on June 8,1998.
M.K.O.Abiola is today celebrated in Nigeria and Internationally, on June 12. Having won the best election in Nigeria's history and to have stood for his madate without violence. Should the said date not just remain a public holiday? Rather it should be a day for Nigeria Government to rekindle the "Hope 93" that died off. It should be an avenue for the Government to reevaluate herself if she has done well in meeting expectations of Nigerians.
The election having been declared as the Nigeria's best presidential election free of irregularities by both national and international observers with M.K.O Abiola winning the mandate, it will be of no crime to honour the said personality with the title GCFR posthumously.
God bless Nigeria.
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