How best to honour Abiola, by Tinubu

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Former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has suggested ways the Federal Government can honour the late Chief Moshood Abiola.

He suggested the naming of a national monument in the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) after Abiola, his posthumous declaration as president and the setting aside of a day in his honour.

He contended that though the President’s decision to rename the University of Lagos (Unilag) after Abiola was welcome, it falls short of what is required.

Tinubu spoke in Lagos on Wednesday while receiving protesting students of the university. Numbering about 100, the students, who handed a protest letter to the former governor, said they were in his Freedom House, Victoria Island office to express their displeasure over the renaming of their school.

Tinubu said: “We must congratulate the president for attempting to do it, but we say: do it right. MKO was elected by the entire country, not just by the Yoruba. He was arrested and taken to Abuja.

“He was tried, incarcerated and eventually died in very controversial circumstances in Abuja under the custody of federal agents. Abiola’s mandate was a national mandate which he tried to reclaim.

“But we must be careful not to localise or sectionalise MKO. Without Abiola, without June 12 elections, we would not be enjoying this democracy now or even the freedom we now have. The seed for what we enjoy was sown by Abiola’s victory on June 12 and millions of Nigerians who voted.

“There are preliminary options for President Jonathan. There is a pending resolution by the National Assembly that recommended that the National Stadium be named after Moshood Abiola.

“Let the President go ahead and name the Abuja stadium after Abiola- a pillar of sports and political icon. Then we will celebrate and respect that.

“Before now, various excuses were given over the inconclusiveness of the elections. Some of us were incarcerated and suffered during the June 12 struggle. Since then, the various actors, especially the umpire or head of the Electoral Commission, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, in his book declared the result of the election and that Abiola duly won.

“The President can on the basis of this go to the National Assembly to declare him winner, enter it into record and posthumously declare Abiola as the democratically-elected president of Nigeria. We will support the President on this and recognise this.

“I won’t stop saying the truth. I won’t stop supporting and promoting the democratic ideals I believe in; we must depart from doing things by fiat as if we are under the military.”

To the protesting students, Tinubu said: “You have the right to air your grievances over this matter. Let me speak to you as a mentor and a leader. Though I am in support of your position, but do not criticise the government without giving it alternatives.”

Tinubu urged the students to find a constructive way to tell the President what options are open to him. He cited the National Stadium, Abuja, National Hospital Abuja (where Abiola died), Eagle Square and the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Some of the student leaders said they were not against the move to immortalise Abiola, but were opposed to the motive behind the renaming of their school.

They argued that the President’s decision was not informed by his belief that Abiola should be immortalised, but an attempt by his government to trivialise Abiola’s name and gain political relevance in the Southwest.

The Coordinator, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone D, Adeyemo Monsuru Tunde, said: “The President is not immortalising Abiola because he loves the Yoruba, but he is doing so to gain his lost political relevance across the geo-political zones in Nigeria, particularly in South West of Nigeria,”

A former Senate President, Unilag, Agbabiaka Ahmed, said the renaming of their school will not only destroy the brand name it had grown and maintained for 50 years, it was also capable of demoralising the students.

Ahmed, who later handed Tinubu the protest letter written on behalf of ‘concerned University of Lagos alumni, students and youths of Lagos State,’ wondered why the Federal Government failed to consult the school’s Executive, Governing Council and other relevant stakeholders before taking its decision.

The daughter of the late Abiola, Mrs. Hafsat Abiola-Costello, welcomed the honour.

In a statement yesterday, Mrs. Abiola-Costello described her father as an icon of democracy.

Praising President Goodluck Jonathan for the honour, she said the best way to immortalise her father was through transparent, free and fair elections, obedience to the rule of law, due process and banishment of injustice, poverty and want.

She urged the Federal Government to revisit the circumstances surrounding the death of her father to effectively close that dark period in Nigeria’s history and prevent a recurrence.

Mrs. Abiola-Costello said: “It was the sacrifices of pro-democracy activists, the supreme price paid by my father and other martyrs that led to the current civil rule.”

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/48557-how-best-to-honour-abiola-by-tinubu.html

But Tinubu was one of those that sold MKO!

Is Tinubu not one of those strongly rumoured to have collected money?

Did Tinubu not plan how to keep MKO in jail with General Abdulsalami Abubakar?

Without Abiola, without June 12 elections, we would not be enjoying this democracy now or even the freedom we now have. The seed for what we enjoy was sown by Abiola’s victory on June 12 and millions of Nigerians who voted.

Agreed.

Before now, various excuses were given over the inconclusiveness of the elections. Some of us were incarcerated and suffered during the June 12 struggle. Since then, the various actors, especially the umpire or head of the Electoral Commission, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, in his book declared the result of the election and that Abiola duly won.

Agreed.

We must congratulate the president for attempting to do it, but we say: do it right. MKO was elected by the entire country, not just by the Yoruba. He was arrested and taken to Abuja.

Agreed 100%. GEJ should forward a bill to amend the act to NASS.

They argued that the President’s decision was not informed by his belief that Abiola should be immortalised, but an attempt by his government to trivialise Abiola’s name and gain political relevance in the Southwest.

Disagreed.

You have the right to air your grievances over this matter. Let me speak to you as a mentor and a leader. Though I am in support of your position, but do not criticise the government without giving it alternatives.

Excellent.

Is Tinubu not one of those roped in by the testimony of al-Mustapha?

OAM4J: his posthumous declaration as president and the setting aside of a day in his honour.

How can dey declare him as a president, I tot it's only Aregbe that is sick, and which day again are they asking for, don't some states in SW celebrate June 12, Osun even declared it as public holiday last year, so what again. Look at this ACN pple o, they still don't want to commend the president just because they're opponent. Political maturity here=0.

Overall, some good suggestions from Tinubu.

I'll want the president to name d eagle square after MKO and also name one of the new universities under construction MAU. GEJ use ur brain now,y r u disgracing others with Phd?

Demdem: Tinubu Spoke well.

Indeed. Especially commendable that he implores others to make suggestions rather than criticise government alone even as he acknowledged that this move is steeped in political opportunism and cynicism.

AyoJames:
How can dey declare him as a president, I tot it's only Aregbe that is sick, and which day again are they asking for, don't some states in SW celebrate June 12, Osun even declared it as public holiday last year, so what again. Look at this ACN pple o, they still don't want to commend the president just because they're opponent. Political maturity here=0.

Have you noticed how Yoruba people can hold a conversation with themselves? This is a done deal, people have moved on they are here licking their masters azz.

JAGABAN has spoken

Johndoe100:

Have you noticed how Yoruba people can hold a conversation with themselves? This is a done deal, people have moved on they a are here licking their masters azz.

Nah Sango go strike your left yansh , wetin dey always worry you Igbo fools. It's is spelt Yoruba!

story story

Beaf: But Tinubu was one of those that sold MKO!

You cannot tell me that you failed to see BAT's true intentions at this point. FG (and by association GEJ/PDP) failed exploit a PR opportunity it created at a particular period when there is a growing sense of apathy towards PDP in the SW thus allowing ACN to turn the emerging negative PR into an opportunity to buy-back public opinion. I am amazed how poorly the whole thing was handled!

Tinubu did speak well enough. His ideas of immortalizing MKO go down well with me. But, can the President really reverse himself now? I know the best of them do sometimes.

Beaf: But Tinubu was one of those that sold MKO!

You are always stupid. Keep it up.

The truth is, I have followed This matter very closely both in naira land and other media. Every body is giving their own opinion on where to name after Abiola. The President has don what he feel is his own opinion. take it or live it, it will stand because whatever ways he did it people will still complain,

Igbo_hater:


You are always stupid. Keep it up.

[b]How can one say tinubu know of MKO's death, WoooOWWWWWW...I WONDER HOW NIGERIANS GET EDUCATED ON RUMORS AND ARE BLIND ON THE REALITY ON GROUND.. the leaders of pdp as always been the problem of this great country... Tinubu was mkos boy simple... or dont you know the real killers of mko were the north, they could not afford to allow democracy at that time, so they simply killed him. when they saw the riot from the people in nigeria, mostly the SW region and the criticism from other foreign countries, they decided to trust their friends OBJ, brought him out of prison, made him president ( In Agreement that its better for them to come together to form a party PDP )... ACN IS A DEMOCRATIC PARTY / WHILE PDP IS AN AUTOCRATIC PARTY HIDING UNDER DEMOCRACY.

PLEASE CLICK ON THE WEBSITE BELOW AND LISTEN TO TINUBU AND FASHOLA SPEAK OF THE RECALL OF ALL DOCTORS. ANY WISE EDUCATED NIGERIAN ON THIS SITE SHOULD SPOT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PDP AND ACN ( SPOT THE SINCERITY IN THEIR WORDS AND RESPECT FOR THE MASSES THEY GOVERN. "NO EGOISM BRINGS ABOUT DEMOCRACY YOU KNOW"

http://www.tundefashola.com/archives/videos/2012/05/31/20120531V01.wmv[/b]

Beaf: Is Tinubu not one of those strongly rumoured to have collected money?

You're on your own!

Beaf: Is Tinubu not one of those strongly rumoured to have collected money?

Beer parlour gist.

Tinubu was still a new comer on the National political scene in 1993.


I am more interested in his opinion on why renaming UNILAG in 'honor' of Abiola is not a best way. The school is a federal school, not a South-western school.

OAM4J: How best to honour Abiola, by Tinubu

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To the protesting students, Tinubu said: “You have the right to air your grievances over this matter. Let me speak to you as a mentor and a leader. Though I am in support of your position, but do not criticise the government without giving it alternatives.”


A former Senate President, Unilag, Agbabiaka Ahmed, said the renaming of their school will not only destroy the brand name it had grown and maintained for 50 years, it was also capable of demoralising the students.


http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/48557-how-best-to-honour-abiola-by-tinubu.html

Airing their grievances should not extend to blocking the 3rd mainland bridge. Such acts of banditry should be expected from NURTW not budding intellectuals. This reign of lawlessness in the country is not amusing one bit.
Anyway, if Ozumba Mbadiwe can be blocked for Patience, i guess the students are within their rights to shut down the Island.

Kobojunkie: Tinubu was still a new comer on the National political scene in 1993.


I am more interested in his opinion on why renaming UNILAG in 'honor' of Abiola is not a best way. The school is a federal school, not a South-western school.

Kobojunkie fall my hand o. If Tinubu is a new comer, what is GEJ who is immortalizing Abiola? GEJ is still in school 20 years ago studying fishery back then.

History Class for the absent-minded

- Tinubu was elected senator in 1993
- He was a founding member of NADECO
- He went into exile in 1994 and return 1998

brabus:

Kobojunkie fall my hand o. If Tinubu is a new comer, what is GEJ who is immortalizing Abiola? GEJ is still in school 20 years ago studying fishery back then.

History Class for the absent-minded

- Tinubu was elected senator in 1993
- He was a founding member of NADECO
- He went into exile in 1994 and return 1998

I don't get your point.

This is why ACN is miles ahead of PDP. Leadership personified as shown by Tinubu here. Simple truth laced with foresight and objectivity. Even if you are threatening to burn down the country in protestation, with this kind of words you'll have a rethink and peacefully go back home. Nigeria is not a jungle, Mr. GEJ take a cue learn to do things right.