In a historic move that resonated deeply with Nigeria’s democratic past, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday conferred national honours on a long list of democracy activists, politicians, journalists, and citizens who played pivotal roles in the struggle to restore democratic governance after the annulled June 12, 1993 election.
During his address to a joint session of the National Assembly to mark Nigeria’s Democracy Day, Tinubu announced posthumous and living honours for over 60 individuals, including Chief Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late presumed winner of the 1993 election, Moshood Kashimawo Abiola; Major-General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua; and Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the chairman of the National Electoral Commission who oversaw the election widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest.
The president said the gesture was not merely symbolic but a reaffirmation of the nation’s commitment to the ideals of democracy—freedom, transparency, and social justice.
“We must celebrate the courage of those who braved bullets and batons to defend our democratic future,” Tinubu told lawmakers. “They laid the foundation for what we now strive to perfect.”
The honoured individuals cut across Nigeria’s ethnic, regional and professional lines—reinforcing Tinubu’s message that the struggle for democracy was a national cause, not the agenda of a select few. Among those recognised were civil rights lawyer Gani Fawehinmi, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Prof. Wole Soyinka, publisher Uncle Sam Amuka-Pemu, journalist Kunle Ajibade, and activist Shehu Sani.
The Ogoni Nine, including Ken Saro-Wiwa and Barinem Kiobel, were not only honoured posthumously but granted presidential pardons, signalling what many have called a long overdue step toward national healing and environmental justice for the Niger Delta.
The national honours are a continuation of efforts to restore the dignity and legacy of those whose sacrifices led to the end of military rule in 1999. Tinubu praised former President Muhammadu Buhari for institutionalising June 12 as Democracy Day and formally recognising MKO Abiola and his running mate Babagana Kingibe as the rightful winners of the annulled election.
In his address, Tinubu appealed for a renewed commitment to democratic values. He stressed that no one should suffer persecution for expressing dissent or writing critical commentary.
“Call me names, call me whatever you will, and I will still call upon democracy to defend your right to do so,” he said.
He also assured Nigerians that the country would not slide into a one-party state, adding that political diversity and civil dialogue were vital for Nigeria’s future. His words came amid rising concerns over political defection and weakening opposition.