President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu have attended the national premiere of MKO, a documentary chronicling the life, political struggle and legacy of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola and the historic June 12 pro-democracy movement.
The premiere, held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, formed part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
The documentary, produced by US-based filmmaker Ose Oyamendan, revisits the events surrounding the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, the subsequent pro-democracy struggle and the efforts by Nigerians and activists to restore democratic governance.
The event attracted senior government officials and prominent Nigerians, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun; Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang; and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Also present were the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr Joseph Utsev; members of the National Assembly; former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba; and other dignitaries.
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, welcomed the President and guests to the premiere.
In an address at the event, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, led participants in observing a minute’s silence in honour of Nigerians who lost their lives during the struggle for the restoration of democracy.
Onanuga paid tribute to pro-democracy activists, journalists, lawyers, students, workers, academics and Nigerians in the diaspora who resisted military rule and campaigned for the restoration of the June 12 mandate.
He specifically acknowledged figures including Chief Anthony Enahoro, Pa Adekunle Ajasin, Senator Abraham Adesanya, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti, Pa Alfred Rewane, Chief Frank Kokori, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Commodore Dan Suleiman, Chima Ubani, Chief Bola Ige, Senator Cornelius Adebayo, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and the late Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, alongside members of pro-democracy organisations.
The presidential aide also honoured journalist James Bagauda Kaltho, other journalists and media organisations that continued reporting despite arrests, persecution and restrictions during the period.
He recalled the contributions of printers who produced banned publications, lawyers who defended detainees, students who organised protests, members of the labour movement, academics and Nigerians abroad who mobilised international support for the democratic struggle.
Onanuga said the documentary was not only a tribute to Abiola but also a reminder of the collective sacrifices made by Nigerians who demanded respect for the electorate’s choice in the June 12, 1993 election.
“We remember the countless unnamed Nigerians who filled the streets, endured hardship and stood firm in defence of the mandate freely given on June 12, 1993,” he said.
He said the sacrifices of those who participated in the struggle contributed to Nigeria’s return to democratic rule, adding that the country had sustained 27 years of uninterrupted democracy since 1999.
Onanuga commended the producers of MKO for documenting an important chapter in Nigeria’s political history and making it accessible to a new generation.
“The democracy we enjoy today was built upon the courage and sacrifices of the people we have identified. We owe them more than remembrance. We owe them a duty to ensure that no authority ever again overturns the freely expressed will of Nigerians,” he said.
Musawa said MKO chronicles the events leading to the June 12, 1993 presidential election, its annulment by the military authorities, Abiola’s arrest in 1994 after he declared his mandate and his death in detention in 1998.
“This documentary is in honour of the heroes of June 12, the men and women who gave their lives for the mandate of June 12, 1993 and for the democracy Nigeria enjoys today,” the minister said.
She described the June 12 election as one of Nigeria’s freest and fairest elections and stressed the importance of documenting the events surrounding it so that younger generations could understand the sacrifices associated with the country’s democratic journey.
Musawa also called for collective efforts to protect Nigeria’s democracy and ensure that the will of the people is not again truncated.
Oyamendan, the documentary’s producer, commended President Tinubu for what he described as his commitment to democratic principles and thanked individuals and organisations that supported the project.
Recalling his longstanding relationship with the President, Oyamendan said he interviewed Tinubu when he was a senator in 1992.
The documentary is expected to contribute to the preservation of Nigeria’s political history and provide younger Nigerians with an opportunity to reflect on the events, personalities and sacrifices that shaped the country’s democratic development.
