June 8, 1998 was a memorable day in the history of Nigeria . In the wee hours of June 8, 1998 an announcement that changed the history of Nigeria was made. It was the sudden death ofGeneral Sanni Abacha, the tyrant that seized power in 1993 after General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) who cancelled the only true democratic election that was won by Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (MKO) decided to “step- aside” and put in place ‘an Interim Government” led by Ernest Shonekan.
People mourn the death of others people, close family member, loved ones, friends, famous people, changemakers and pets. We simply mourn but Nigerians did not mourn when Abacha’s sudden death was announced. They took to the street, dancing, singing, celebrating, thanking God for His intervention.
A lot of atrocities were perpetrated during Abacha’s rule; embezzlement of public fund, a lot of the killings of innocent Nigerians, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, Suliyat Adedeji amongst others were assassinated. Several activists were jailed. The Niger Delta opposition activist Ken Saro-Wiwa; the Ogoni Leader and 9 others were executed after the kangaroo tribunal set up by Abacha found them guilty for speaking out against the environmental damage to the Niger Delta caused by Shell Oil through its 37 years of drilling in the region.
Abacha during his reign, promised Nigerians that he was there to help Nigeria return to democracy and in truth the only democracy he had in mind was self-succession. He was ready to become another Mugabe of Africa . Thinking he was unstoppable, he went ahead with his self – successions plans aided by some of well-known Nigerians, the likes of Daniel Kalu, Chief Femi Aluko that did not mean well for Nigeria . He was declared our messiah but the true messiah that will never share His glory with anyone came and called him home?
12 comments:
Nice one Standtall. thanks for adding to our knowledge. :)
I came to blogsivlle today hoping someone had already blogged about this. I remember that afternoon like it was yesterday. The air was pregnant with celebration and excitement over Abacha's death...it was like the crack of dawn, of a new beginning. Only...11 years later, some Nigerians are looking back with nostalgia at the military regime! Tufiakwa! democracy or demonstration of craze, I thank God that at least now, we have freedom of speech (or at least, to a large extent)...otherwise, there'd be nothing like NAIJA BLOGSVILLE.
June 8 and June 12 i know
and i remember living thru both dates
i remember the riots following June 12 and the celebration when Abacha died with d european prostitute, mercy i can't believe 10 years have come and gone already
but what happened on June 4
wow,
eleven years ago!
i remember when i first heard the news. was in primary school!
everyone went back home. my grandmother killed a goat! there was food flowing!
gosh that was some day i tell u....
I can understand your hatred for the man but it seems somehow wrong to make his death a day of national celebration in perpetuity. I'd stick with a national day that has only positive overtones!
how can i forget the day this miserable bastard died!i was still im high school then....n I was among those dancing on the street
I remember that day when it was announced. I was just about brushing my teeth in Fajuyi Hall, OAU, when guys in different halls began to shout all over the place. everyone tuned up their radios and the whole campus went gaga...there was an unarranged parade on the streets, students who hadnt had their bath thronged everywhere waving makeshift flags of victory, beating drums and dancing all over the place...
The last time I saw such joy was when we won one of the world cup tournaments...
I agree fully with Omo Oba. The party mood was lost on me then. Had many weighty issues to tackle myself.
If Abacha could look back, I am sure he would regret all done to Nigerians.
Well, his family must have being in a forever shame cuz they witnessed the jubilation
@ Afronuts: I remembered they made Akara in celebration at Ife.
.. yeah yeah Abacha was bad, but then he wasnt the worst, was he?
myimagelife: hmmm, I can't even name who is worse or worst. It's being crazy with our leaders and all
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