June 12 in Nigeria: How e become public holiday and wetin dey hapun on dat day
June 12 of evri year na national holiday for Nigeria as di kontri dey celebrate dat day as 'Democracy Day', but e no always be so.
Nigeria bin dey celebrate dia democracy day on May 29, di date wen di military hand over power to a democratically elected president for 1999. Di last of such handover bin happen on October 21st, 1979.
So for 18 years - 1999 to 2018 - Nigeria dey use May 29 to reflect on di journey from military dictatorship to democracy.
However, on 6 June, 2018, Muhammadu Buhari who be Nigeria President dat time, declare say Democracy Day go now be evri June 12, even though May 29 go remain di date for swearing in of new presidents.
According to Buhari, "June 12th, 1993, dey far more symbolic of democracy in di Nigerian context dan May 29th or even di October 1st (wey be Independence Day)".
So wetin happen on June 12 1993 and why e dey so significant?
June 12 1993: Nigeria "freest and fairest" election
Na on June 12, 1993, Nigeria organise election to choose president wey go take over from di military Head of State Ibrahim Babangida, wey be Major General for di Nigeria army dat time.
Dat election na "undisputedly di freest, fairest and most peaceful elections since our Independence", President Buhari tok for im statement of 6 June, 2018.
Na di general consensus for Nigeria, even though di military regime of Babangida later refuse to acknowledge di election result.
Di refusal of Babangida to uphold di election and hand over power to Moshood Abiola - wey evribodi agree say na im win di election - trigger a chain reaction of katakata for di kontri wey last for up to six years and even lead to di death of Abiola and im wife Kudirat.
M.K.O Abiola... Di man for di centre of June 12
Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (M.K.O) Abiola na business mogul and politician wey bin run for president on di platform of di Social Democratic Party (SDP) for di general election of June 12, 1993.
A chartered accountant by training, Abiola bin work for some international companies including Barclays Bank and Pfizer pharmaceuticals bifor e go into private business.
During di SDP primary election to choose di party flagbearer for di general election, Abiola defeat im two major challengers; Abubakar Atiku and Babagana Kingibe, wey e later choose as im running mate.
Abiola slogan for di election - 'Farewell to poverty' - bicom very popular wit di pipo across ethnic and religious divides.
On election day, Abiola defeat im rival, Bashir Tofa of di National Republican Convention (NRC). E even win for Kano wey be Tofa home state, anoda reason why many say di election bin dey free and fair
However, di Head of State dat time, Ibrahim Babangida cancel di election as e tok say one court bin don give order make di election no go ahead.
Later dat year, anoda army General, Sani Abacha, take ova power from Babangida and e still refuse to recognise di June 12 election. Dis cos ogbonge protest across Nigeria, and even di current President, Bola Tinubu, folo for di pipo wey lead protests to add pressure make dem swear-in Abiola as president.
One year later, for June 1994, Abiola declare imsef President of Nigeria, but Abacha immediately declare am wanted, arrest am and detain am.
On 7 July, 1998, Abiola die. Na dat same day dem suppose release am from prison afta di death of Abacha. E bin dey for one meeting wit some diplomats from di US wen e suddenly take ill afta drinking tea.
Some pipo suggest say na poison dem poison am, though autopsy show evidence of heart disease.
How June 12 become national holiday for Nigeria
President Muhammadu Buhari declare June 12 as Democracy Day and national holiday on 6 June, 2018, as e tok say di date get symbolism pass May 29.
"Di fact say di military goment of dat time no uphold di outcome of dat election (of June 12, 1993), no fit distract from di democratic credentials of dat process," Buhari tok.
E also declare say di Nigeria goment go give Abiola di honour of 'Grand Commander of di Federal Republic (GCFR), wey be di highest national honour for di kontri, wey na only former Presidents dem dey give am.
Dis na symbolic gesture to officially agree say Abiola bin win the June 12, 1993 election true-true, even though im no go dey listed as a former president of Nigeria.
However, bifor dis declaration, some states for di southwest region of Nigeria wia Abiola come from, bin don dey mark June 12 as public holiday in honour of Abiola.
Dis states include Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo. Abiola come from Abeokuta for Ogun State.
Wetin fit happen for June 12 dis year?
Normally, di president dey usually do a nationwide broadcast wia e go talk about Nigeria journey for democracy so far. Presidents day also use di opportunity to tok about some of di tins wey dia administration don achieve for di year and dia future plans.
For im democracy day speech of 2024, President Tinubu tok about di increase for di national minimum wage, and how im efforts to protect di rights, freedoms, and liberties of Nigerian citizens.
E dey expected say di president go also do anoda broadcast dis Thursday. E dey usually be by 7:00am.
Also, govment dey normally organise celebrations for di Eagle Square Abuja, wey go feature parades and march-pasts by various armed forces, and sometimes aerial displays by di Air Force.
On oda occasions, di celebration go dey low-key, wit a brief change of guard parade by di Presidential Guards Brigade for inside di Aso Rock Villa wey be di president residence.
E neva clear weda any such celebration go happen dis year.
Again, civil society organisations dey also use di democracy day celebration to organise rallies and peaceful protests against some actions of goment wey dem feel say e dey anti-democratic.
Already, di 'Take it back' movement, a civil society group wey dia leader na Omoyele Sowore, don declare nationwide protest for dis year June 12.
One of di tins wey dem say dem wan protest about na di killings for various parts of Nigeria, including Benue, Plateau, and Zamfara States.
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