Youths under the aegis of the Osun Civil Societies Coalition on Thursday staged a peaceful demonstration in Osogbo to mark this year’s June 12 Democracy Day, calling on President Bola Tinubu to implement the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola’s presidential manifesto.
The demonstrators, who converged at Ayetoro Junction before marching through major streets of the Osun State capital, urged the federal government to revisit and adopt Abiola’s “Farewell to Poverty” manifesto to address the plight of students, the unemployed, and other underprivileged Nigerians.
Chief MKO Abiola was the presumed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history.
Speaking during the rally, Babatunde Aboke, General Secretary of NANS Zone D, lamented that successive governments have failed to uphold Abiola’s pro-people ideals.
“Nigerians have never had a president with the vision and compassion MKO Abiola had for his people, as seen in his manifesto,” Aboke said. “MKO advocated for free education, free healthcare, and freedom of movement. Sadly, these promises remain unfulfilled.”
He added: “We are not just students of history; we are here today to remind the government that the dreams and promises of MKO have been abandoned. In Nigeria today, education has become a struggle.”
Another activist, Wole Oladapo, told journalists that the protest was not an appeal, but a direct demand to the federal government.
“We strongly call on President Bola Tinubu to drop the proposed 5% tax that would only worsen the economic hardship of Nigerians. Inflation must be tackled with sound economic policies. We are demanding a country where citizens can speak freely and sleep peacefully without fear of arrest.”
Chairman of the Osun Civil Societies Coalition, Comrade Waheed Lawal, commended the federal government for posthumously recognizing MKO Abiola as the winner of the 1993 election and awarding him Nigeria’s highest national honour.
However, he insisted that Abiola’s family should receive all entitlements due to any Nigerian president.
“Beyond the honour, the government must provide the entitlements owed to a president to the Abiola family. Families of those who died or were detained in the struggle should also be compensated so their sacrifices are not in vain,” Lawal said.
He also called on the Osun State Government to expedite the employment process for teachers who have completed interviews, urging the administration to prioritize education and security across the state.
“Osun government should do the needful in ensuring the safety of lives and property and attend to the welfare of the people,” he added.
