I can’t help but share the level of disappointment in Nigeria’s failed democracy as being regretted by Michael Akpobome Egi, Nigerian business management expert and a chartered power engineer based in the US.
As a key figure in the pro-democracy struggle that birthed Nigeria’s nascent democratic dispensation, Egi says this was not what they fought for.
Based in Maryland, the social activist who was a founding stakeholder in what became known as June 12 struggle narrates, “While I do not want to self glorify my role in the struggle for democracy in Nigeria, I deem it necessary now to touch on it.
“June 18 1995, NALICON (National liberation Council of Nigeria) was formed in Houston, Texas. I and a fellow member of our pro democracy group in Minnesota drove to Houston because of the importance of the meeting.
“The meeting was called by Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka. It was at this meeting we agreed to establish Radio Kudirat. I took part in drafting the resolution that was sent to the press.
“After that meeting, I and my organization, then World Union of Nigerians, brought Wole Soyinka to Minnesota on October 6th 1995 to help rally Nigerians against the military and help boost the pro-democracy struggle.
“The security cost for that Soyinka trip was enormous because Gen Abacha spies and killers were hunting for him.
It was on this occasion that he announced to the audience that he just got news from Nigeria that Pa Alfred Rewane, who was one of the financiers of NADECO has just been assassinated.
“This is to say many of us in the diaspora fought hard for this democracy that is being hijacked by criminal gangs. When the military handed over power in 1999, I saw it then as Nigeria’s finest hour and an end of rogue military and the beginning of decency in civilian rule.
“It is condition that made the dog to go back to eat it’s own vomit. It turns out that the civilians have no democracy in their DNA, they just help chase the military away only to use the same military against Nigerians when they protest against their misrule.
“This is not the democracy we fought for, where the votes of the people do not count. We need to stop enabling these corrupt politicians and call them what they really are -thieves and dream killers.”
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