soyad: The problem we have in this country is that we have a group of people who do not think alike . Some are progressive minded while the others are either ethnic or tribal jingoist . For anybody to denounce the intelligence of Wole Soyinka is complete lunancy.

Abeg, abeg, Soyinka deserves all the respect. But he is not a policy maker in Nigeria.
In Wole Soyinka's opinion (just like everybody else is entitled to one) June 12 is supposed to be a democracy day.
But in Ex-President Obasanjo's wisdom as A ONE TIME ELECTED PRESIDENT & COMMANDER IN CHIEF, May 29 was declared a Democracy day.
Soyinka and others should deal with it.

Abali1:
It was General Obasanjo that declared May 29 as Democracy day, and the last time I checked he is still a Yoruba Man.

You are really FUNNY, so was that a just, fair and statesmanly decision to make? In the circumstance, was that "right"? Does a self-serving decision of OBJ, and he made a lot during his leadership, become "right" because it feeds into the sentiments of Ibos who hate anything Yoruba even if it benefits them and they have nothing better in the whole Iboland? If this decision is "right", because OBJ is also a Yoruba man, then the burden of accepting every of his "wrong" decisions is now yours and you people would have lost the moral right to selectively pick what is right or wrong, or is it not the same Obasanjo?? OBJ and Chief Abiola were not "friends" and may be rivals but it is up to a fair, just-minded and sophisticated people to judge and say, well, "I don't agree with a lot of things X has done and think Y was right, but in the circumstance, as an impartial judge, X was right and deserved better in this case"! Now the question is: can an unsophisticated man who sees everything from his tribal allegiance make such fair judgements! NO! That man is an ====> Ibo man! Even the IBB who made that decision and at one time blamed his military junta peers for the pressure to annul that election, knows he made a wrong decision! Up till today, it hunts him and that is one of the reasons he CAN NEVER be voted or accepted as a candidate again for elections! If he was "right", why hasn't he been well received by the generality of Nigerians? Prof. Henry Nwosu who was the umpire of the electoral body announced the result of the federal elections which said Chief Abiola won, how is it fair to not give him the credit? Was it not ibos that helped to sabotage the process?

Nigeria is potentially divisive

~Bluetooth:


Sentimental about what ? OBJ handed over to shagari in 1979 and that day didn't earn the title of democracy day,what's special about May 29 when Abdul salam handed over to him ? Did you know how many igbos and northerners including yorubas that die because of June 12 ? Well I won't blame you lots,you lacked knowledge of history possibly you weren't even born then and was only being told what happened but your in-born hatred for yorubas won't let you learn from history.

Me, lack knowledge of history and not born in 1979?
I don't blame pampers-carrying kids like you.

People like you sent MKO to his untimely grave when he had the opportunity to let go of June 12.
June 12 was like any other elections. Am not even routing for May 29 as democracy day anyway.
My take is; enough of this noise about June 12 and let's push this present government to deliver.

majority of the responses on this thread give credence to the fact that nairaland is
populated by toddlers and ethnic bigots who are too lazy to read the history of a country called Nigeria.

which date is not important in d history of Nigeria? Cant we stop this unwarranted hype and seek for good governance? Smh for Nigerians with their foolish charade.

madam_oringo:

You are really FUNNY, so was that a just, fair and statesmanly decision to make? In the circumstance, was that "right"? Does a self-serving decision of OBJ, and he made a lot during his leadership, become "right" because it feeds into the sentiments of Ibos who hate anything Yoruba even if it benefits them and they have nothing better in the whole Iboland? If this decision is "right", because OBJ is also a Yoruba man, then the burden of accepting every of his "wrong" decisions is now yours and you people would have lost the moral right to selectively pick what is right or wrong, or is it not the same Obasanjo?? OBJ and Chief Abiola were not "friends" and may be rivals but it is up to a fair, just-minded and sophisticated people to judge and say, well, "I don't agree with a lot of things X has done and think Y was right, but in the circumstance, as an impartial judge, X was right and deserved better in this case"! Now the question is: can an unsophisticated man who sees everything from his tribal allegiance make such fair judgements! NO! That man is an ====> Ibo man! Even the IBB who made that decision and at one time blamed his military junta peers for the pressure to annul that election, knows he made a wrong decision! Up till today, it hunts him and that is one of the reasons he CAN NEVER be voted or accepted as a candidate again for elections! If he was "right", why hasn't he been well received by the generality of Nigerians? Prof. Henry Nwosu who was the umpire of the electoral body announced the result of the federal elections which said Chief Abiola won, how is it fair to not give him the credit? Was it not ibos that helped to sabotage the process?

My Madam at the Top, I am just trying to point out the obvious. Wole Soyinka was not arguing about right or wrong. Rather he is saying that June 12 is the REAL democracy day and May 29 is the FAKE democracy day.
And some people here are abusing Igbos. I am only saying that Wole is entitled to his opinion as you are entitled to yours. But OBJ as a policy maker and a ONE TIME ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, decided in HIS WISDOM to declare May 29 as democracy day.
I say DEAL WITH IT.

Some naïve people here on Nairaland will just open dere dirty stink mouth and say whatever dey lyk,over half of Nigerian's below 30 were not born den......talkin rightly avoid being miopic and tribalistic JUNE 12 is d DAY!!!

soyinka respect ur old age n shot up, may 29 is wat we knw. Make u n MKO go bath.

madam_oringo:

Knock it off! You are a tribalist and you know why you would rather not consider June 12 Democracy day! It screams everything about the icon of that struggle, Chief M.K.O Abiola, a Yorubaman, Aare Ona Kakanfo! Recognizing such a day goes completely against the propagandist narrative that your tribe, the ibos, are special or better than every other part of Nigeria! Chief Abiola chose rather to return to Nigeria and resolutely defend a mandate given by the people to the end, this is something any Ibo man will NEVER do or has ever done! This is why you'd rather not have or mention June 12 and Democracy day in the same sentence! It doesn't matter anyway! For most right thinking people with a mind for equity, justice and egalitarianism, they will recognize that June 12 and Chief Abiola are iconic, and though they may be upset that Yoruba Military Generals and Commanders stopped anything called biafra and the strongest ibo man ever known Ojukwu fled cross-dressed as a pussi-sissy for over a decade (13 years), Chief Abiola deserves A LOT OF credit and recognition for paying the supreme price and sacrificing himself for the struggle! I bet you were a little kid or unborn in those dark days for then, you would have an idea of how a society could be oppressed under tyrannical leadership!

If you live in the South West of the Yoruba, a people who were already in civilization during the medieval times, a confident, measured and proudly proud of their ancestral heritage, the sacrifice of their fathers, a sophisticated, astute and militarily superior people, you will have to observe our holidays! If you don't like it, go back to whatever backwater burg you sprang from!

Say whatever you like but Nigeria has been existing way before Abiola, so it will be idiotic on the part of any government to make June 12 democracy day. Is it not enough that the day is declared public holiday by SW states?

madam_oringo:

Knock it off! You are a tribalist and you know why you would rather not consider June 12 Democracy day! It screams everything about the icon of that struggle, Chief M.K.O Abiola, a Yorubaman, Aare Ona Kakanfo! Recognizing such a day goes completely against the propagandist narrative that your tribe, the ibos, are special or better than every other part of Nigeria! Chief Abiola chose rather to return to Nigeria and resolutely defend a mandate given by the people to the end, this is something any Ibo man will NEVER do or has ever done! This is why you'd rather not have or mention June 12 and Democracy day in the same sentence! It doesn't matter anyway! For most right thinking people with a mind for equity, justice and egalitarianism, they will recognize that June 12 and Chief Abiola are iconic, and though they may be upset that Yoruba Military Generals and Commanders stopped anything called biafra and the strongest ibo man ever known Ojukwu fled cross-dressed as a pussi-sissy for over a decade (13 years), Chief Abiola deserves A LOT OF credit and recognition for paying the supreme price and sacrificing himself for the struggle! I bet you were a little kid or unborn in those dark days for then, you would have an idea of how a society could be oppressed under tyrannical leadership!

If you live in the South West of the Yoruba, a people who were already in civilization during the medieval times, a confident, measured and proudly proud of their ancestral heritage, the sacrifice of their fathers, a sophisticated, astute and militarily superior people, you will have to observe our holidays! If you don't like it, go back to whatever backwater burg you sprang from!

Madam bingo if you are careful the hatered you have on Igbos will cause you heart attack

Abali1:
My Madam at the Top, I am just trying to point out the obvious. Wole Soyinka was not arguing about right or wrong. Rather he is saying that June 12 is the REAL democracy day and May 29 is the FAKE democracy day.
And some people here are abusing Igbos. I am only saying that Wole is entitled to his opinion as you are entitled to yours. But OBJ as a policy maker and a ONE TIME ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, decided in HIS WISDOM to declare May 29 as democracy day.
I say DEAL WITH IT.

Well, give that advice to yourself, you need it MORE! Prof. Soyinka has no reason to argue, he was there, live, were you? Are you so bereft of mental capacity not to know that by declaring which day is the REAL Democracy day, June 12, he is telling YOU and NIGERIANS which day is the RIGHT ONE? Or do you expect him to descend to the level of a toddler mind like you to say, "here is the R-I-G-H-T and here is the W-R-O-N-G", etc? So everything OBJ did is right when it feeds into the hatefest frenzy of Ibos towards the Yorubas, a people they can not like because they boss them COMPLETELY, without even arguing or seeming to pay attention to Ibos always trying to "measure-up"? Well, OBJ was right in spending N 16 Tr for roads during his years including roads in ibo land, appropriating 60 B for your still-born 2nd Niger bridge which is yet to even see a single shovel digging the ground? I hope he was right in those circumstances too!

June 12 cannot be democracy day. When Abiola's election victory was shattered, did we receive the dividend of democracy?
Stop trying to impose june 12 on the masses, impose it on the south west for all I care. Till today, there is and have never been a democracy day. What is democracy without its dividend? May 29 and June 12 are fake. I still buy fuel for my generator, I still make use of torch at night, I sometimes enter boats in a commercial road like ejigbo, so what democracy are talking about?
To me, we never had a democracy and wouldn't have had even if it was June 12. That day was only an attempt. June 12 is a south-western public holiday, while May 29 is a fake democratic celebration mostly celebrated by the high and mighty in the Nigerian community.

dave2: What's June 12th na
Some people claimed MKO won the elections, but was he ever declared as winner?
So, on what grounds should we mark June 12 as democracy day na?

Just crawl back from dat hole u came from....#Naive#

madam_oringo:

Prof. Henry Nwosu who was the umpire of the electoral body announced the result of the federal elections which said Chief Abiola won, how is it fair to not give him the credit? Was it not ibos that helped to sabotage the process?

Abeg how did Igbos help sabotage the process?
MKO said " WE CAN DO WITHOUT THE IGBOS".
Igbos pulled back and when gbese set in, you people are again blaming the Igbos.
Is Prof Nwosu not an Igbo man?
If Igbos hated MKO that much will they have voted massively for him?
If Igbos were hell bent on scuttling the election 'victory' of MKO, why then did Prof Nwosu not use his office to scuttle the process?
THINK AND THINK AGAIN......

.

ezex:
It was the day the government of the people by the people and for the people was elected.And this is what democracy means

Which government? How can u talk of "government" from an aborted election? The bitter truth is that Abiola was unable to actualize his dream of becoming president of nigeria. Despite his boast, Abacha triumphed over him - diasppointing him and his would-be 27 first ladies. Lesson learnt: money and intrigues can't get you everything. Tribalists, pls we have had enough of this june 12 hullabaloo.

Afam4eva:
Say whatever you like but Nigeria has been existing way before Abiola, so it will be idiotic on the part of any government to make June 12 democracy day. Is it not enough that the day is declared public holiday by SW states?

Well, it is a matter of time! You are in Yoruba land anyway, and June 12 is a holiday and you have no choice for you live in our prosperous lands! How it affects you? Most non-critical government services and offices are shut down, if you need anything wait after the holidays! If you have a doctor's appointment, a business meeting, signing of any contract with another business, etc, well you will have to wait! Hahahaha Yorubas have everything ibos would want and like to have but they just cannot get over the facts! FYI, I live far away and I enjoy seeing you writhe in your pains and confusion! How was your massobian sit at home? I read there are still casualties? Sad but Ibos need to go to the Yorubas to go learn! After all, the Yoruba taught ibos how to write and WE created your alphabets! Ibos need to "show-off" and "impress", Yorubas will NEVER need any extra effort to do that or even think of it, they're just damn too busy making progress! It is confidence, not arrogance! When I have the time I will search out the impression and opinions of "outsider" colonialists about the ibos, as compared to the Yorubas! Wait for it, one of these days, when I have less time from my busy schedule, I will spoon-feed you and your fellow bigots!

madam_oringo:

Well, give that advice to yourself, you need it MORE! Prof. Soyinka has no reason to argue, he was there, live, were you? Are you so bereft of mental capacity not to know that by declaring which day is the REAL Democracy day, June 12, he is telling YOU and NIGERIANS which day is the RIGHT ONE? Or do you expect him to descend to the level of a toddler mind like you to say, "here is the R-I-G-H-T and here is the W-R-O-N-G", etc? So everything OBJ did is right when it feeds into the hatefest frenzy of Ibos towards the Yorubas, a people they can not like because they boss them COMPLETELY, without even arguing or seeming to pay attention to Ibos always trying to "measure-up"? Well, OBJ was right in spending N 16 Tr for roads during his years including roads in ibo land, appropriating 60 B for your still-born 2nd Niger bridge which is yet to even see a single shovel digging the ground? I hope he was right in those circumstances too!

WHEN DID WOLE SOYINKA BECOME THE ORACLE OF NIGERIA THAT ANYTHING HE SAYS WILL BE TAKING HOOK, LINE & SINKER?
Wole is entitled to what he wants to believe. Period.

Abali1:
Abeg how did Igbos help sabotage the process?
MKO said " WE CAN DO WITHOUT THE IGBOS".
Igbos pulled back and when gbese set in, you people are again blaming the Igbos.
Is Prof Nwosu not an Igbo man?
If Igbos hated MKO that much will they have voted massively for him?
If Igbos were hell bent on scuttling the election 'victory' of MKO, why then did Prof Nwosu not use his office to scuttle the process?
THINK AND THINK AGAIN......

I don't have time to educate you from the fundamental baseline, talk less of someone like you so below the baseline! Abeg, I need to earn my dollars !

madam_oringo:

Well, OBJ was right in spending N 16 Tr for roads during his years including roads in ibo land, appropriating 60 B for your still-born 2nd Niger bridge which is yet to even see a single shovel digging the ground? I hope he was right in those circumstances too!

You can reel out all of OBJ's wrong it does not concern me (MOREOVER THE MAN HAS CHALLENGED THE POWERS THAT BE TO PROBE HIM).
I hold no forte for OBJ, neither am I a politician.

dave2:

Me, lack knowledge of history and not born in 1979?
I don't blame pampers-carrying kids like you.

People like you sent MKO to his untimely grave when he had the opportunity to let go of June 12.
June 12 was like any other elections. Am not even routing for May 29 as democracy day anyway.
My take is; enough of this noise about June 12 and let's push this present government to deliver.

I know superior arguement when I see one.June 12 is not like any other elections because Abiola,a yoruba muslim and Kingibe a northern muslim were voted president and vice president respectively and thus,it stands as the only de-tribalized election in the history of Nigeria.


Will Nigerians especially ibos vote Buhari and tinubu ?

Those who did not witness or join the June 12 struggle must speak with soft tones and ask questions. The Freedom of Speech you take for granted on Nairaland was fought for with Blood and Tears. Thank June 12 for this

BECAUSE THIS MAN WITH GREY HAIRS WON NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE,
HE NOW COMPARES HIMSELF WITH THE WISE MEN OF THIS WORLD.

Nothing wey man no go hear for africa.

~Bluetooth:


Sentimental about what ? OBJ handed over to shagari in 1979 and that day didn't earn the title of democracy day,what's special about May 29 when Abdul salam handed over to him ? Did you know how many igbos and northerners including yorubas that die because of June 12 ? Well I won't blame you lots,you lacked knowledge of history possibly you weren't even born then and was only being told what happened but your in-born hatred for yorubas won't let you learn from history.

We have had you!
You can pls decrear June 12 a democracy day inside your bedroom.

with all due respect to prof.Wole Soyinka, whether it is Jan 1st till Dec 31st, I believe the ordinary Nigerian don't give a shit about the date....as long as we don't get to see the dividends of the so called democracy, who cares about date

gEj should end his term June 12 so we can have it as Demo Day. Everyone wins that way

i dnt like sonyinka hisses and leaves

madam_oringo:

Well, give that advice to yourself, you need it MORE! Prof. Soyinka has no reason to argue, he was there, live, were you? Are you so bereft of mental capacity not to know that by declaring which day is the REAL Democracy day, June 12, he is telling YOU and NIGERIANS which day is the RIGHT ONE? Or do you expect him to descend to the level of a toddler mind like you to say, "here is the R-I-G-H-T and here is the W-R-O-N-G", etc? So everything OBJ did is right when it feeds into the hatefest frenzy of Ibos towards the Yorubas, a people they can not like because they boss them COMPLETELY, without even arguing or seeming to pay attention to Ibos always trying to "measure-up"? Well, OBJ was right in spending N 16 Tr for roads during his years including roads in ibo land, appropriating 60 B for your still-born 2nd Niger bridge which is yet to even see a single shovel digging the ground? I hope he was right in those circumstances too!

Very intelligent retorts from you madam!