The unexpected blessings of June 12 – and more, in today’s news roundup with Cheta Nwanze

by Cheta Nwanze

MKO-Abiola...

June 12 1993 was a blessing to Nigeria in my opinion. It gave us a chance to taste Abacha. You see, prior to Abacha, the closest we had come to a malevolent dictatorship was Buhari/Idiagbon.

On a Channels TV programme on Sunday, I was asked how June 12, 1993 was for me. Sadly, I was asked that question with Dele Momodu sitting nearby, and he happens to be one of those people who through no fault of his, tend to steal the show. He did that very eloquently. What you are about to read is what my answer would have been if I was alone on the hot seat.

In all honesty, I don’t know what to say about the 20th anniversary of June 12. That day was not a particularly huge day to me, it was just another day to sit at home. I remember Erha going to vote, but I don’t remember if Iye did. Frankly, I also do not remember if she sat at home all day either. Things began to get interesting when results started trickling in, and Abiola, the chap whom Erha ovbiously voted for was in the lead. Then suddenly the results stopped being announced. Then suddenly, one early morning, Erha went out, and returned home with a sheaf of papers with what he said were the results. Then suddenly, one evening, that handsome chap that used to grace our TV screens every January 1, January 15, Easter Sunday, Eid-el-Fitr, May 1, August 27, October 1 and Christmas Day graced our screens again, and I clearly remember Erha’s veins almost bursting with what the chap had to say. Frankly, at the time I could not care less. I certainly remember the whirlwind of activity in the days that followed. The questions, will we have to go back to the village? Erha’s house in the village is not yet complete. Okay we will remain in Benin. Children, don’t go too far, no, don’t go out at all. At the end of the day, I do remember VERY clearly, the first time the dark-goggled one faced us. And thus the cookie crumbled.

June 12 1993 was a blessing to Nigeria in my opinion. It gave us a chance to taste Abacha. You see, prior to Abacha, the closest we had come to a malevolent dictatorship was Buhari/Idiagbon. Thing is, both chaps were doing what was right, and even though we didn’t like it (hey, I was a bit too young to truly remember, so all of my knowledge on that is from books), deep down, we knew that they wanted the best. Abacha on the other hand, showed us just how bad things could really get. I’ll never forget the day Dr. Dimowo misyarned at an ASUU meeting (of course I wasn’t there). He came home from that meeting to find that Abacha’s SSS had showed up during the meeting, and kicked his family out of his house, then sealed the building. It was raining heavily that day.

The tragedy of our current democracy is that it has been hijacked by frankly the bluntest tools in our toolshed. But who’s fault is that?

After fighting Abacha for so long, and no, we didn’t fight him to a standstill, Providence killed him on our behalf, the sharpest tools in our toolshed relaxed, and this led to what we have today. But the fact remains that what we have today, is still better than Abacha. At least, we have a genuine fighting chance of making what we have today to work.

Here’s felicitating the real hero of June 12, 1993, Prof Humphrey Nwosu. Were it not for his courage, Erha, and millions of others, would never have known that MKO won that election.

For the records, after next year’s anniversary, we should stop talking about June 12, 1993. The chap go don turn adult.

Bits and bobs

One of Nigeria’s historical icons, Fred Ajudua, has been sent home.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Christian Ibekwe, one of the policemen who was killed in Nasarawa. His brother, Nicholas has this heartfelt tribute, while the chaps responsible are still on the loose.

Apparently, NEPA affects the cost of water in Akwa Ibom.

I got some feedback about me not writing to suit the tastes of the majority who like airy stuff. For those of you who like that kind of stuff, enjoy Tonto Dikeh’s boobs falling all over the place after she wore some deliberately undersized garments, and no, I still will not watch Big Brother!

Finally, some serious stuff, and Namibia’s FA has appointed a new coach a matter of hours before the visit of Papa Eagles. He’s been charged to build the bus that they would park in front of their goalpost for this evening’s 0-0 draw with the African Champions. Follow me on Twitter from 2000 hours Nigerian time.

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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

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