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…Frowns at Government’s negligence of MKO Abiola’s Family
…Charges Government to do more than lip honour to MKO Abiola Martyrdom
The June 12 Pro Democracy Movement of Nigeria, the umbrella platform of Champions of the June 12 struggles for popular democracy in Nigeria, wishes to decry strongly the invasion of the main Residence of Late MKO Abiola by armed robbers
The Statement issued by the Movement on Sunday and signed by its Convener, Veteran Olawale Okunniyi, reads in part: “The home of Chief MKO Abiola, the Hero and Martyr of the current democratic rule in Nigeria was broken into by gun wielding Armed Robbers in the early hours of Tuesday, 2nd September and was thoroughly ransacked, while family members, especially Abiola most Senior Wife and Children, who live in the historic
compound was subjected to extreme torture and harassment after which monies and other valuable items of the family were carted away
For us in the pro democracy movement and political allies of MKO Abiola, it is really inconceivable and baffling that before and throughout the dastardly and ignoble operations of these armed bandits, there was no single security or police intelligence, alert or response to halt this traumatic ordeal of Abiola family, especially within metropolitan Lagos. This, to say the least, calls to question the quality and efficiency of Nigeria’s security intelligence and policing as this sort of desecrating crime could occur in the sacred home of MKO Abiola, which today doubles as the Democracy Centre of the June 12 Movement of Nigeria
We are therefore at this point compelled to frown at what we have come to perceive as lip honour, obvious negligence and abandonment of the family and legacies left behind by MKO Abiola by government; as it is our informed view that, if those in power today, who are direct beneficiaries of the present Democracy, for which MKO Abiola sacrificed his life and died, have done the needful by showing sincere concern and care for MKO legacies and blood relations, this ugly situation would have been averted and prevented
Furthermore, we are indeed perturbed by a situation, where government could award the highest honour in the land, GCFR to MKO Abiola being the martyr of the Nigeria’s democracy, only to neglect his legacies and precious family and allow them to go through all manner of avoidable suffering and ignominy at the same time. What manner of honour could this be? For this not only smack of embarrassing hypocrisy but also official insincerity and a shame to the whole country.
Again, to think there is no single Police or State operative presence at the residence of MKO Abiola, a President elect of Nigeria, who sacrificed so much and died in detention for our present Democracy is nothing but official negligence of the highest order and bad national protocol. We are also shocked by the nonchalance of government to the armed robbery incident. To the extent that no government official is yet to visit or call the family to sympathise with them officially. The sad lesson here is that patriotism and martyrdom for a national cause is not valued by the Nigerian ruling class.
Again, it is heart rendering to note that the Family, Children and Aides left behind by the late African Philanthropist are presently being abandoned to feel the pains of the absence of their late father and benefactor, while those in government lavishly expend the gains of his historical national sacrifice. This to us is immoral and irresponsible, as we are alarmed that the houses, properties and businesses left behind by MKO are today mostly dilapidated and liquidated, while those in government insensitively turn their eyes side way, pretending not to be aware, especially those who were at the barricades with us during the June 12 struggles.
Finally, for history and posterity to be kind to some of our associates and friends in government today, we urge them to quicky take steps to honour MKO Abiola beyond the lip and mouth, by formally taking up some of the key responsibilities left behind by the Martyr of Nigerian Democracy
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