That MKO Abiola’s death may not be in vain

Late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola fondly called MKO was a business mogul with interest in media, airline, shipping, sports among others during his lifetime.

Born in 1937 in Gbagura Area of Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, he was from a very poor background but by dint of hardwork and determination, he weathered it all and went on in life to be a force to be reckoned with in the business world.

Late MKO Abiola was a great philanthropist according to history and was one Nigerian who was well loved across the country and religious divide.

Abiola who had once tasted the rough side of life before fortunes smiled on him thought he could make a difference in the life of the people and there and then plunged himself into the murky waters of politics.

He contested for the presidential election of June 12,1993 alongside his running mate, Alhaji Babangana Kingibe on the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP). His opposition in the election was Bashir Tofa of National Republican Convention (NRC).

Abiola was considered the winner of the presidential election but the military government of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida annulled the election. This, of course, did not go down well with many Nigerians and it came with so much protest across the country especially in the Southern and Eastern part of the country.

The military junta was not happy about this reaction from Nigerians and began clamping down on many pro-democracy activists, throwing some to jail while some were gunned down like Pa Alfred Rewane, Bagaulda Kaltho, Kudirat, wife of Late MKO Abiola among others.

Abiola who was arrested after declaring himself as the duly elected President of the country at Ijeshatedo in Lagos State was to later die under questionable circumstances in July 1998 after reportedly taking tea.

The pressure the very vibrant Nigeria media and international circle mounted on the country coupled with the death of the late despot military leader, Gen. Sanni Abacha forced his successor, Gen. Abubakar Abdulsalam to hurriedly hand over power to the democratically elected government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on May 29,1999.

The strong conviction of Late MKO Abiola that democracy is the best form of government through which people could freely enjoy good governance and life abundant made him obstinately stick to his pursuit of recovering his presidential mandate. This was why he was unjustly incarcerated and later died in detention.

The question begging for the answer is whether the beneficiaries of our current democracy, the politicians and handlers of this country at various levels of government have been living out the ideal of MKO Abiola and others who laid down their lives for this democracy to be reality.

Abiola was one individual and leader reputed to have made people the corner piece of his life. This accounts for his various philanthropic gestures across the country.

Unfortunately, 30 years after the shameful annulment of his presidential victory, the country is still wobbling. 24 years after returning to democratic path, the challenges of bad governance have increased giving birth to bad economy, joblessness, endemic corruption, insecurity, lack of basic infrastructure and many more.

It’s on this note that many are of the strong opinion that for Abiola and other heroes and heroines of democracy in Nigeria not to have died in vain, now is the time for our political leaders to begin to serve the people just as they have promised to do while campaigning and when they were being sworn in.

Nigeria handlers must jettison greed and embezzlement of public funds with reckless abandon and begin to utilise these huge resources to implement projects and policies that will move this blessed nation forward and make it one of the best five in the world.

Our Governors who have turned themselves to demigods and absolute monarchies should retrace their steps and begin to work conscientiously to serve only the people and do all that is within their capacity to reduce poverty to the barest minimum.

It is when all the political actors from the federal to the Local Government begin to place people and selfless service above self that truly we can actually sing and say the labour of our heroes past shall not be in vain!