Remembering June 12: A Look at Nigeria's Fight for Democracy

Yesterday, Friday, 12 June was the thirty-third anniversary of when General Babangida's military government cancelled Nigeria’s most credible presidential election.

On 23 June, 1994, business leader and politician, Chief Moshood Abiola was wrongly arrested. He spent four years in solitary confinement without trial under General Sani Abacha’s harsh regime. This sparked anger and protests against military rule.

The fight to reclaim the June 12 mandate brings back painful memories for many Nigerians. Yet, it is also a proud moment in Nigeria's history. This is why June 12 is now a public holiday.

Some people who fought for the June 12 election have received awards. Others have been called “Heroes and Heroines” of June 12.

But this raises questions: What made them “Heroes and Heroines”? What did they truly fight for on June 12? Was it really about democracy or was it because they had a fallout with the dictators? Or did they just want to replace the military leaders with their own?

If the government is serious about June 12, it should release security reports on it. This will help those who want to understand and act on the issues.

One clear fact is that the June 12 struggles began long before the election was annulled. In fact, the roots go back to before the 12 June, 1993 presidential election.

The National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS) laid the groundwork with the April, 1978 ‘Ali-Must-Go’ students’ protest.

This protest, as I have mentioned before, “sparked a new awareness among Nigerian students”. It changed how students viewed the government and marked a key moment in the fight for democracy in Nigeria.

First, it broke the belief that military governments could not be challenged. Second, it led to the creation of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). Third, it shifted the students’ motto from “Commendation, Condemnation & Recommendation” to “An Injury to One is An Injury to All” and “Everything for the Struggle, Victory for All.”

The “Ango Must Go” protests at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and other protests across the nation created a strong anti-military sentiment.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), with support from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), stood with NANS during the “Ango Must Go” protest. They declared 4 June, 1986 as a day of mourning with peaceful protests by workers nationwide.

But the 4 June march was disrupted by a show of military force. This made the Babangida regime look bad and exposed its claims of being “pro-democracy.” It also created a divide between the military and the people.

The junta's ban on the NLC angered student leaders. A student told the Civil Liberty Organisation: “We have to drag these people out of office; if necessary, we must be prepared to die in the process.”

On 10 April, 1988, students led by NANS organized nationwide protests against a 2.5 kobo increase in petrol prices. Some of their placards said: “Babangida, agent of imperialism” and “No to SAP.”

Joined by workers, the protests frustrated the military leaders. Colonel David Mark responded: “Students cannot go on rampage just because of 2.5 kobo increase in fuel prices.” He then asked: “How many students own cars?”

Even with the NLC banned, workers still protested across the country.

Many students and citizens were harmed or killed. Some were arrested and tortured. But the protests showed that the fight against military rule could not be easily stopped.

Then, in 1989, NANS organized a nationwide ‘Great Anti-SAP Uprising’. It was intense. One NANS pamphlet stated: “Nigerian students cannot afford to watch any longer while their lives are being battered.”

The protesters sang Peter Tosh songs: “Down pressor man where you gonna run to on that day…” and “Everyone is crying out for peace,/yes, None is crying out for justice.”

When police threatened the protesters, they urged them: “Join us or shoot us!” When the police fired, protesters shouted: “How many can you kill?” Others sang: “If we die today,/we shall die no more.”

During these protests, many students and protesters were killed. In some areas, police fled from protesters. In others, police supported the protesters. Eventually, the military was called in to control the uprising.

The ‘Great Anti-SAP Uprising’ created a strong distrust of the military. Many believed the soldiers were benefiting from the regime’s wrongdoings.

The African Concord reported on 17 July, 1989 that: “there is no denying the groundswell of cynicism and distrust civilians now harbour against the military.” People were now ready to stand up to military authority.

In 1990, students protested against the World Bank's plan to cut some university courses. But the protests were put on hold after Major Gideon Orkar’s failed coup on 22 April, 1990.

NANS argued that: “Successive military regimes in Nigeria have proved to be guilty of the general malaise of power-drunk autocracy, violation of human rights, kleptomaniac corruption and unpatriotic capitulation to imperialism.”

These stories show that the fight for June 12 was a fight against military rule, and for democracy and development. They were also a continuation of earlier struggles against the military, led by students.

The ‘Ali-Must-Go’ protest laid a strong foundation for opposing military rule in Nigeria. The formation of NANS and its struggles from 1981 to 1993 helped demystify the military and prepare the people to challenge the military leaders.

Former student leaders and activists played major roles in the June 12 struggles. They worked in media, civil society, and law firms. Their experiences from the student movements helped in the fight for June 12.

Most of the journalists who were wrongly arrested came from the students’ movement. So did many who led the protests on the streets. Thus, the June 12 struggles were part of the ongoing fight against military rule in Nigeria.