June 12: A Call for Action, Not Just Remembrance — By Sakariyau Waris Ajibola

On June 10, 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari signed a new law that moved Nigeria’s Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12. Before then, Democracy Day felt like just another holiday without any deep meaning. It did not remind us of anything special or bring us closer to the truth about our nation’s journey. Now, we can appreciate that we have a Democracy Day that speaks about our history, our pain, and the need to push for better leadership.

In other countries like Chad, Nepal, and the Czech Republic, democracy days stand for the people’s struggles and the memories they can never forget. In the Czech Republic, for example, the Velvet Revolution of 1989 was a turning point that they honour to this day. In our own history, June 12 is about the pain of an annulled election, the dream that was crushed, and the leader who never said sorry for it. It is about the memory of MKO Abiola, who won an election that was never allowed to stand. The pain from that stolen Hope’93 still lives with us till today.

Also Read:  Nigerian Celebrities React to President Buhari's Death

Democracy, in simple and relatable terms, is the government of the people, by the people, and for the people. It means leaders come from us, are chosen by us, and must listen to us. So we have to ask, why are we not seeing the good side of democracy? Why are we still not seeing good leadership? Why do we keep watching the same old stories of leaders who forget us and promises that fade away? Who is failing us, and who are the ones we have chosen to lead us?

Democracy Day should not be a day for us to only remember pain, it should be a day to celebrate freedom and celebrate our democratic journey. It is not only a day to accept the defeat of the annulled election; it is also a day to recognize that MKO Abiola, who was elected convincingly in 1993, has now been officially acknowledged as a former president of Nigeria. This recognition reminds us that democracy grows when people understand their own power and choose to be part of the process.

Today, June 12, 2025, is a day to remember that we can make it better. We can change Democracy Day from a time of sadness to a time of celebration. We can make this day about building a Nigeria where people have what they need and where everyone has a chance to live well. But this is not possible without you, the people.

And, to make democracy work, you can play three roles. You can be the one who leads, the one who chooses who will lead, or the one who is led. In fact, you can be all three at the same time.

So I am asking you to join in this call for better democracy. Let it grow in your community, in your home, and in every part of Nigeria.

Happy Democracy Day!

Sakariyau Waris Ajibola (Hon. Gucci) is a Youth Leadership Advocate