11th June, 2020
By Oluwatope Lawanson/Lagos
June 12, the Democracy Day is here. Despite the COVID-19 limitations, the Lagos State Government is celebrating it in a big way, via Zoom.
All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and Cherie Blaire, wife of Tony Blaire, former UK Prime Minister, are among personalities expected at the virtual event.
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, said the state will celebrate the 27th anniversary of June 12 and Democracy Day with Nigerian youths.
The theme of the Zoom celebration is “June 12: Learning from the Past, Shaping the Future”.
The virtual event holding from noon, will also feature multi-award winning artiste, Timi Dakolo and TY Bello, among notable personalities.
The statement said that the artistes would be joined by publisher of Ovation Magazine, Bashorun Dele Momodu, Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu and former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in the state, Mr Dele Alake.
Also featuring in the online event is the daughter of late Moshood Abiola, Dr Hafsat Abiola-Costello.
She will speak on democratic values that will aid Nigeria’s continued development.
“Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu and others, including Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, Ms Yemi Adamolekun and Mr Seun Onigbinde, will further chronicle how June 12 was declared a public holiday by the Federal Government in honour of the memory of Moshood Abiola,” it said.
According to the statement, Sanwo-Olu would address the youths and explain how the present administration ensured that none of the citizens’ rights was trampled upon.
The governor would explain what the administration has done in the last one year to ensure residents of Lagos got the dividends of democracy they agitated for while marching on the streets to demand for the return of civilian government over 21 years ago.
It added that the participants would also have the opportunity to ask questions that would possibly help prepare them for the future.
The event would be held virtually via Zoom and streamlined across various internet platforms, to accommodate large number of attendees while remaining in compliance with government directives on social distancing.
June 12, since 1999, was celebrated annually in the Western part of Nigeria, to commemorate the annulment of the June 12 Presidential election in 1993.
The election, regarded as the nation’s best, was won by Late Chief MKO Abiola, but annulled by former military dictator Ibrahim Babangida.