JUNE 12: BEYOND SYMBOLISM
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a source of joy and new life (proverbs 17;8 adapted) and so it has been for the believers in the symbolism and concept of June 12 since 1993 until the landmark pronouncement of President Muhammadu Buhari on June 8, 2018 with the declaration of June 12 as Nigeria’s democracy day and the posthumous award of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) and Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) to Bashorun MKO Abiola and Chief Gani Oyesola Fawehinmi respectively. I therefore celebrate with and congratulate the families, all leaders and supporters of the movement and believers in democracy and its ideals.
However, at the risk of being a wet blanket, I opine that there are people that are larger than titles, achievements greater than awards and events bigger than official recognitions.
One person that readily comes to mind is Mother Teresa. By the time of her death, she was already a saint in the hearts of the millions of people her life and life’s work had touched such that her beatification and subsequent cannonisation (though a great title) added little to her stature in the hearts of these people. Of course, we cannot forget the people’s princess, Lady Diana, Princess of Wales, one of the most charismatic and influential persons of her time. Upon her divorce from Prince Charles and the consequent loss of the use of the title, Her Royal Highness (HRH), her stature did not diminish but rather grew and Prime Minister Tony Blair said it right during the official announcement of her death –“she is the people’s princess and that’s how she will stay, how she will remain in our hearts and in our memories forever”.
Also, the collapse of the Berlin wall that led to the reunification of Germany is such an event. A global event which took place November 9, 1989 with the announcement of the abandonment of border control by East Germany (German Democratic Republic) resulting in the freedom of its citizens to cross over to West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany). This global event, with an estimated two million people crossing the borders to West Germany over that weekend not only signaled the beginning of the reunification of Germany but also the end of the cold war. This epic event, though celebrated annually on October 3, remains a celebration of freedom and the triumph of soul force as was aptly captured by the current chancellor of a united Germany during its 25th anniversary in 2014 thus: “This is a message of hope and that dreams can come true, nothing has to stay as it is, even if it is difficult. It is a message in our ability to tear down walls today and in future of dictatorship, violence, ideology and hostility”. The events of June 12, its symbol (Bashorun MKO Abiola) and the movement /struggle it birthed is in my opinion such a phenomenon which title, award or official recognition neither adds nor removes from. “June 12” symbolises the Nigerian people’s desire for and commitment to these ideals –unity, equity, justice and freedom.
Therefore considering the state of these ideals under this dispensation, the announcement after the initial euphoria, left a sour sweet aftertaste and upon reflection on the grantor and his timing, I sense both duplicity of person and dubiousness of intent. On the person of the grantor, nothing in his antecedents, neither words nor actions suggested a support for “June 12”. In fact, prior to this maverick political masterstroke, his recent remarks on the person and regime of General Sani Abacha (under which the movement, its symbol and the ideals the movement stood for suffered the most) connoted a veiled adoration and a tacit support of same which would inherently be in inconsistent with these awards and declaration.
Gboyega Atoyebi, FCA, abayomiato@yahoo.co.uk