Editorial
President Tinubu, June 12 Democracy Day Celebration
The June 12 celebration of Democracy Day in Abuja, yesterday, was overshadowed by the slipping and falling of president Tinubu.
Sadly, the president’s media handlers, his propaganda machine, led by Bayo Onanuga, exacerbated discussions and reactions to that incident. Onanuga and his assistants dug into the archives of the internet to justify Tinubu’s fall by uploading past, old videos and photos of Western presidents who fell down; the United States president, Joe Biden, was the typical arrowhead of their example.
While It’s natural for any body to slip and fall, that incident should not be an opportunity to deride or joke with president Tinubu’s accidental fall. Factually, the blame for Tinubu’s fall should be placed squarely on the media/wardrobe managers of the president. By the way, this is the second time that Tinubu had slipped. Going forward, I advise the president’s wardrobe managers to insist that the flowing ‘agbada’ attire worn by him should be replaced with the flowing ‘Niger delta’ attire which sits perfectly on him. The ‘Niger Delta’ styled attire makes Tinubu smart, savvy and physically athletic. The agbada attire, if it must be worn by president Tinubu, it should be within the premises of the presidency and Aso Rock.
Unveiling Of Tinubu’s Photograph At June 12 Democracy Day Celebration
I salute the courage of president Tinubu to officially recognise and celebrate late Chief M.K.O. Abiola as the foundation of Nigeria’s democracy and the official validation of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, adjudged as fair, most credible and transparent in the annals of Nigeria’s political history, which was won by Abiola. Due to political bias, past presidents had deliberately refused to acknowledge M.K.O. Abiola as winner of the June 12, 1993 elections albeit former president Buhari’s grudging recognition of Abiola.
Notwithstanding, president Tinubu fell into the vain, self-glorification trap that some leaders fall into, perhaps he was goaded by his media and political advisers to unveil his own photograph at the celebration.
What message is president Tinubu sending to Nigerians and the world, at large by unveiling his photograph, especially in the celebration of June 12 as Democracy Day? The answer(s) to that question is flowing in the air!
If any body’s photograph should be unveiled to celebrate the June 12, 1993 election as Democracy Day, it should be none other than the photograph of late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, not Tinubu’s photograph.
President Tinubu should restrain himself from self-glorification and stop acting like the proverbial lizard that jumps down from the tree to praise himself for the feat of jumping down from the top of the tree, while 130 million Nigerians are multi-dimensionally poor, living in fuel subsidy removal induced poverty!
By Onorakpene Eviosekwofa
Email: leviose@yahoo.com
June 13, 2024