By Yinka Ajayi

Sunbo Onitiri, a Lagos chief and political activist who played a role in the late Chief MKO Abiola’s Epetedo presidential declaration on June 11, 1994, has extolled President Muhammadu Buhari for bestowing on Abiola the highest honour in the country. According to Onitiri, Buhari has rekindled Nigerians’ hope in the sustainability of democracy in Nigeria with the decision to honour the “martyr of democracy”.

•Sunbo Onitiri

He said in Lagos at the weekend, “This has shown that our struggles for democracy in Nigeria were not in vain”.

Besides playing a role in the Epetedo declaration, Onitiri and Tunde Adejumo, a lawyer, had obtained the landmark judgment that enabled Nigerians to vote on June 12, 1993.

The Lagos chief, who was in Abuja to witness Abiola’s family receiving the award, called on the Federal Government to commence the process of restructuring Nigeria without delay.

Onitiri, who, alongside the late Prince Adeniji Adele and Senator Wahab Dosunmu, sponsored the Epetedo declaration to enable Abiola become President, said, “I, on behalf of other patriotic democrats, living and dead, wish to commend President Muhammadu Buhari for rekindling our hope in the sustainability of democracy in Nigeria with the singular act of bestowing the highest honour in the nation on our martyr of democracy, the late Chief MKO Abiola. This has shown that our struggles for democracy in Nigeria were not in vain. Meanwhile most of us that laid down our lives and blood for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria have been sidelined from governance of Nigeria as opportunists and anti-democratic forces have been in the prowl, feeding fat on our democracy. They have distorted our democracy and struggle.

“I urge other patriotic democrats not to lose hope but to continue with the struggle until full democracy is attained in Nigeria. So far we have had milito-cracy and looter-tocracy of our common wealth”.

Onitiri, who is the General Secretary of Lagos Elders Council, commended the efforts of other patriotic Nigerians in the June 12 struggle like Mr. Frank Kokori, Olisa Agbakoba, Wale Oshun, Mr. Ayo Opadokun, Prof Humphreh Nwosu, and Adejumo.

“We call on President Buhari to bestow national honours on Chief Frank Kokori, Prof. Nwosu, Olisa Agbakoba and bestow posthumous honour on Barrister Tunde Adejumo, Senator Wahab Dosunmu and Ken Saro Wiwa. For the great sacrifice of the late Chief MKO Abiola, he should be declared president–elect and all his entitlements of a President to be paid to his family”, he said.

“Furthermore, the National Assembly complex should be named after MKO Abiola. June 12 no doubt is Nigeria’s Democracy Day and not May 29. June 12 is the day the fairest and freest election was held in Nigeria. Nigerians that are eligible must ensure they vote in the 2019 general elections and insist their votes count. When we have proper democracy there will be full security to lives and property. Politics will not be seen as a do-or-die affair or as a means of livelihood. Nigeria will occupy its rightful position in the comity of nations with no corruption”.

Onitiri believed that Nigerians will get it right someday and Nigeria will rise again with credible and honourable leaders. He emphasized that the wound of June 12 cannot be over without the restructuring of the country.