JUNE 12: THE LABOUR OF OUR HEROES PAST SHOULD NOT GO IN VAIN (DEMOCRACY DAY)

Advocates of democracy have agitated that the June 12 celebration should be renamed the national day for the celebration of democracy in Nigeria due to the sacrifices of Chief M. K. O Abiola whose electoral victory was annulled on June 12 1993. The agitation was recognized in 2019 and signed into law as national holiday for democracy.

The current challenges Nigerians are facing across different fronts have made many questioned the effectiveness of democracy as a system of government due to the recurring pattern of issues ranging from corruption, hardship, unemployment, electoral injustice, double standard in justice system and violent crimes like kidnapping, terrorism, assassinations and banditry despite the defence budgets, security votes and yearly allocation to strengthen internal and external security, and also protecting our territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The June 12 before recognition as a democracy day, it was a day activists and concerned Nigerians gathered to discuss the problems the country is facing and also charting a course for a better future through recommendations of solutions to the identified problems.

These age long challenges without solution in sight have raised sentiments for military to takeover power, thinking force will quell the fire of terrorism, banditry and fear of gun will stop corrupt politicians and military chiefs from looting the treasury and Commonwealth of the Nation.

"Nigeria E go better " was the chorus we hear growing up while watching television, listening to radio broadcast and reading daily newspapers, but has it gotten any better compare to three decades ago? Yes and No.

Yes, it has gotten better for those whose relatives are in position of government, gainfully employed in multinational corporation and others in diaspora earning in hard currency.

No, it is far worst for those whose children and parents are in the den of kidnappers, and others whose ancestral land has become forbidden land to step into for fear of killer bandits raiding villages, towns and schools without pity or remorse.

All great Nations face challenges before transforming their pains into gains, the challenges of Nigeria are rooted in the foundation and the type of constitutional democracy we are running as a Country.

A Country where some citizens believe in oneness and togetherness as a Nation, while some see the subjugation of others as priority while advancing the cause of their tribal group.

A Country governed by two constitutions at the same time, one for the secular South and Sharia for the North. Such society if not quickly restructured and reorganized constitutionally, will soon be ripe for implosion due to conflict of interest and difference in ideologies already fueling extremism across the 6 Geo- political zones and 774 Local Government areas that made up Nigeria.

The sacrifices of our founding fathers and the labour of our heroes past should not be allowed to go in vain. dividends of democracy as a system of governance is numerous but PEACE and PROGRESS are the foundation others rest upon, but a situation where unending bloodletting, restlessness and absence of peace dominates daily conversation, such system can be liken to demonstration of craze rather than democracy.