On this day, June 12, 1994 and the severally years that followed upto 1998, I was
with some reliable comrades on the streets of PH, Bori or Lagos, distributing leaflets, and/or organising, attending and addressing rallies calling for the de-annulment of June 12, 1993 elections won by MKO Abiola, and for the immediate return of Nigeria to democracy from military rule. And being hounded; chased, teargassed, shot-at or detained by the SSS, and the police.
I played my part when Nigeria needed men to stand up against military rule, and human and environmental rights abuses.
I was merely a student then with strong convictions to die for my beliefs. Was elected Vice-President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and became a major pillar upon which the anti-military rule mobilization of the Niger Delta region depended; and an anchor man for many local and international civil society organisations.
I remember many of my comrades with whom we fought in the trenches, Oronto Douglas (of blessed memory), Ledum Mitee, Felix Tuodolo, Omolade Adunbi, Uche Onyeagocha, Kingsley Ogundu Chinda, Dimieari Von Kemedi, Olusegun Mayegun Snr, Stanley Worgu, Lucky Akaruese, Anyankwe Nsirimovu (of blessed memory), Patrick Naagbanton (of blessed memory), Loveday Inordee, Ighodaro Edokpolor, Royal Prince Osimiri, Amasoma Esaba (of blessed memory) and many more.
Time was when the student movement was dreaded in Nigeria for their consciousness.
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