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Why Nigerians Must Reconcile and Return to the Spirit of June 12 – Dele Momodu

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By Charles Kumolu

One of the closest associates of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, Chief Dele Momodu, in this interview, reveals the efforts he is making to ensure that key June 12 actors offer apology for their roles, in order to achieve true reconciliation.

The veteran journalist also narrated his encounter with the daughter of the late Gen. Sani Abacha about the latest development and disclosed the impetus that propelled Kola Abiola to seek recognition for MKO Abiola among other issues.

Excerpts:

As a close associate of the late Chief MKO Abiola, would you say that his recognition by President Muhammadu Buhari has pacified all aggrieved parties?

For any member of the Abiola family or his political family, it is natural that we are happy because we had to wait for 25 years for someone to recognise that on June 12, 1993, something monumental happened in this country. Chief Abiola won the election and nobody ever contradicted that, not even those who annulled it. They knew that he won, but they just didn’t want him to govern. There was no controversy about the fact that he won, and no one accused him of cheating. He suffered for winning an election. In literature, we call it oxymoron because it is a contradiction.

How can a man win an election and he will not be allowed to take over power? The case of Nigeria is compared to that of a vulture that has been extremely patient with reference to a James Hadley Chase book I read as a student titled: The Vulture is a Patient Bird. However, 25 years after, at God’s appointed time, honour came for Abiola and all those who fought for June 12. We are extremely grateful to Buhari. On this one, Buhari scored a hat trick because it is like scoring three goals at a time. It does not matter whether we agree with his government or not.

MKO Abiola with associates

Where were you when you heard the news and how did you receive it?

I was in London at the time. A friend called me on phone, and said he had something very urgent to discuss with me. It was in the afternoon of that day. He said something major was about to happen in Nigeria. When I asked further, he said I would hear it later. However, he whispered and said Buhari was about to recognise Abiola. I laughed, and said he can even wake Abiola up if he liked because we were already frustrated about promises that he would be honoured. The nearest to it was former President Jonathan, but it was mismanaged. And somehow, it collapsed.

What do you think happened?

In life, there must be preparation and readiness. After readiness comes victory. President Jonathan didn’t prepare very well. It was a spur of the moment gesture. Even this one that happened; some people think Buhari just woke up and did it. No, there was a process. As far back as last year, Kola Abiola got a legal opinion to know if what they were asking government to do for their father was possible, legally. He spoke to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who responded through a letter, saying it was possible to do so, posthumously. And Kola had approached past leaders to honour Abiola, but met a brick wall. Other members of the family might have done so as well, but I know of Kola Abiola. When this finally came, I was very excited. People have called me to ask if the motive was not political.

The motive, for me, is irrelevant. What is important is the fact that we got what we wanted. God has used President Buhari deliberately and frontally to recognise the winner of June 12. And I had advised the President a few weeks before the gesture that the best way to move Nigeria forward was to reconcile Nigerians. Even the issue of the President apologising to the family is the best way to bring a closure to such a monumental and unfortunate event like the June 12 tragedy. It happened in Kenya where Kenyatta called the opposition leader, Odinga to apologise so they can move forward. That is how to move the nation forward. In fact, the greatest mistake the APC made was to start fighting the moment they assumed leadership as if we were under the military. That has been my advice, and they thought we were fighting. It is embarrassing to get to power and start fighting.

What was the problem?

It is because Buhari’s biggest brand is that of a no-nonsense soldier. They felt that if they changed the brand they will lose their core loyalists. I remember telling (Rt. Hon. Rotimi) Amaechi (Transportation Minister) that we should call Buhari the Peoples General. It is the same problem that President Trump is having in America where he carried his base along. Now, his base wants him to destroy the existing system. In Nigeria, people still want Buhari to continue to be seen as a friend of the poor, who will probe corrupt people. And in Nigeria, the poor people see every rich man as their enemy which is a very dangerous mindset. I have warned government about that. The job of government is to promote prosperity and not to project poverty. It is a very delicate balance.

MKO Abiola with key military officers

Now they are knocking the head of the poor against the rich. That is why the economy will not pick up because even those who have money are scared of investing because of the fear of being targeted. That is why people are now hiding money outside Nigeria. On the Abiola issue, I want to remind the President that what I have told him on Pendulum has happened. When there is an atmosphere of joy and happiness and peace in the land, he will be the greatest beneficiary. What he has gained in the last one week is greater that whatever could be ascribed to him in the last three years.

You described the gesture as a closure on the June 12 saga but there are still other strands of the matter that are yet to be addressed. For instance, the results have not been officially released. What do you make of that?

I am not saying it has brought a closure because there are still other bridges to cross. I said it should be brought to a closure. By giving Abiola GCFR, it is assumed that he won the election, whether the result is declared or not. I know there are litigations challenging the release of the results. What I know is that symbolically, he has brought a closure to the matter. I believe the courts will declare him winner if such matter comes up in court.

MKO Abiola with late Nelson Mandela

A lot of people are saying that the June 12 political family is bigger than Abiola and Ambassador Babagana Kingibe. This explains the feeling that many who fought for June 12 were supposed to have been honoured alongside Abiola, Kingibe and Gani Fawehinmi.

What do you make out of that argument?

There is nowhere in the world where everyone will take credit for all that has happened in a struggle. I was not even invited for the investiture but I am not bothered because what I did for June 12 was not for personal reasons. I was even in Ghana when the President honoured Abiola in Abuja. Kola Abiola called me on the evening of June 11 that he wanted me to be around for the event, but I was not in the country. I don’t do things because I expect to be compensated. One of my favourite philosophers, Whitehead, said “Blessed are those who expect nothing because they shall never be disappointed.” I don’t waste my time thinking of what I will get from someone. Even when we were following Abiola; a lot of people were following him for different reasons. Some were following him because of houses; some did because of cars; some wanted money, but mine was because of wisdom. And I got it from him. Anytime I wanted to do something, I will consider how Abiola would have handled it. I believe that Abiola, as the leader, should take the credit alone. If he can take the blame, he can as well take the credit alone. Abiola lost his wife, Kudirat, but why are they not talking about her? It goes beyond that because the symbol of the struggle is Abiola. The head of June 12 is the one that has been recognised.

Who was Abiola to you and who was the Abiola you knew?

Abiola was definitely not a saint because I don’t think there is any living saint. But he was close to a saint. Whatever deficiency he had, he made up for in many other areas. I don’t know why anybody would say he sponsored this and that. In life, someone must have friends and every businessman must also have friends. Those friends must cut across all spheres of human endeavour. Abiola had friends in the military and everywhere. Abiola did not say because former Military President, General Babangida, was his friend, he would not campaign. He campaigned more than anybody, and suffered more than anybody. And when he had to fight his friend, he fought on the side of the people. If someone’s friend is in power, it will be wrong to abandon that friend so that you will not be accused of planning a coup. One thing I told the members of his family is that God has made him an everlasting martyr.

When the books would be written, questions would be asked about the real reason the election was annulled. Did Abiola confide in you as regards what he felt was the reason for the annulment?

No. Several times, we tried to discuss that – he would say that Babangida assured him that he was leaving. I remember Dr. Doyin Abiola telling me that he went to see Babangida severally to ask if he was sure of leaving. The general consensus was that Babangida didn’t want to leave, but they asked him and he swore that he would relinquish power. Abiola told me that if he knew Babangida was not ready to go, he would not have wasted his time. He told me that he didn’t like wasting his time. Based on my own private investigation, I found out that apart from the fact that the military didn’t want to go, Babangida didn’t want to go. There were also people who connived with the military and conspired against Abiola.

MKO Abiola with late Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha

That was what happened to Abiola. They came together to say that it will not fly. Babangida did not do it alone. Babangida was just a victim. It would have been resolved long ago. All they needed to do was to have apologized the way Buhari did. The Abiola family should be compensated because they lost so much. Abiola was involved in so many businesses, but when the June 12 saga started, all his businesses were destroyed. It is not enough to just honour him, his family should be compensated. For a man who was the richest in his time, some of his children found it difficult to go to school because of what happened. Government owes the company a lot of money. A fraction of that can be released. Abiola’s company, Summit Oil, was the second company to find oil in commercial quantity in Nigeria. I handled their media relations. The license was revoked. I think they have got it back now, but they have not been able to do much. By the time Abiola died, they would have spent in excess of N500 million on that project. That was when our currency had value.

They owned a bakery – Wonder Bakery, in the same compound with Concord Newspapers. By the time all these happened, all the machines went bad. They owned the biggest printing press, Bulk Delivery in Oshodi; Concord Airlines, a farm in Taraba State, Lafiagi, Ogun State, Senegal and other businesses. Government should just find some billions for them so that they can bring closure to all these.

MKO with Chief Obasanjo and others

On the failure of former President Obasanjo to honour Abiola, I know that a lot of things would be revealed very soon in Nigeria. For instance, when we talked about those who annulled June 12, I said that IBB did not do it alone. How come he left Abacha behind when he was leaving? I know that one day, IBB will tell us what was remotely responsible for his action, and why he did that. People are going to give different versions of what happened, but the fact remains that Babangida annulled the election.

On IBB, Obasanjo, Abacha families

If I find myself among them, I will tell them to apologise to the Abiola family and Nigerians. I have made overtures already. I am not just a journalist; I am a journalist who is blessed with a lot of contacts. I am reaching out to everybody because that is what Abiola would have done. He was not a vindictive person. Abiola was my adopted father. My father-in-law handed my wife over to Abiola during my wedding in December 1992. I know Abiola well enough.

Even after the annulment, Abiola wrote a letter to Babangida saying ‘let us be friends again’. He said IBB was his friend and that he did not know why he annulled the election. That is statesmanship. The Abacha, Obasanjo and Babangida families should raise their hands and beg God and Nigerians for forgiveness, and it will be over.

I was speaking to Abacha’s daughter, Gumsu, a few days ago and I asked her views about these things happening now. He said the Abacha children and Abiola’s children were friends before. She was mentioning names of the Abiola children, saying that they attended the same school and were very close. She said the Abiolas used to drive Volvo at that time, adding that anytime they saw a Volvo, they would conclude it was the Abiolas.

MKO Abiola with former President Ibrahim Babangida

She said there was a  time she saw one of Abiola’s daughters in Abuja and wanted to take her to meet her father (Abacha). But the girl was felt uncomfortable and refused to go. She narrated that if the girl had gone with her, Abacha would have allowed her to see her father (Abiola) in detention. And she stressed that she felt bad that Abiola’s children lost their father in the process, adding that she also lost her father. Abacha’s daughter informed also that her father (Abacha) also had a human side. I was so touched that I wondered what could have made Nigerians to act like that towards one another. Now the children are the ones suffering it. When Abacha’s name is mentioned, nobody wants to listen.

How do they close those gaps? How do we reconcile these Nigerian families because some of the children were so young when these things happened, and they don’t know anything about June 12? We have had the first closure, but the reconciliation of these Nigerian families is also another form of closure. Nigerians should learn to forgive one another. The only way to forgive is to admit wrongdoing. Let these families come out to admit that they were wrong.

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Gov Adeleke Celebrates Sen Ajagunla on Birthday

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The Executive Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has rejoiced with the lawmaker representing the Osun Central Senatorial District, Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi Ajagunla, on the occasion of his birthday, celebrating his remarkable journey of impacts, according to a statement signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed.

Governor Adeleke praised the Senator’s noteworthy interest in touching in lives, which is reflective in his pro–people philosophy, acknowledging his collaborative efforts in the delivery of the dividends of democracy to the people.

The statement further quoted the governor as expressesing his admiration for Senator Ajagunla’s persuasive skill and networking reach, which has not only helped constituents to be heard in the red chamber, but their voice effective, saying he is living up to the expectation of constituents with impactful representation.

“It is with delight that I congratulate a distinguished lawmakers, Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi Ajagunla, on the auspicious occasion of his birthday. Senator Ajagunla is an outstanding personality and on this special occasion, I celebrate him for a life of impacts they defines him,” the Governor was quoted to have said in a congratulatory message.

“As he turns a new age today, I join family, friends, political associates in honouring the value he has brought to bear on us over the years. I also want to thank him profoundly for his contributions to the progress and development of Osun State as evidenced in private investments, quality representation and politics of benefits for the people that defines Senator Ajagunla.

“It is my prayer that God bless him with many more celebrations in good health and sound mind so that he can continue to contribute meaningfully to providing the needs of our people and benefit humanity as a whole,” the governor noted.

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Okuama Massacre: Military Declares Eight Persons Wanted

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The Defence Headquarters has declared eight persons wanted over their roles in the recent killing of 17 military personnel in Delta State.

The military released the list on Thursday at a briefing in Abuja.

Those declared wanted are Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbo (Aka Amagben), Akata Malawa David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukeywe, Reuben Baru, and Igoli Ebi.

During the briefing, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, called on Nigerians especially residents of Delta and adjoining states to assist the military with credible information that would lead to the arrest of eight persons allegedly responsible for the killing of seventeen soldiers in Okuama community in Delta State.

General Buba says the military remains determined to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous act in Delta State, reaffirming its commitment to rescue all kidnapped and abducted victims in Nigeria.

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How CJMR Has Championed Restoration of Justice to Unjustly Incarcerated, Condemned – Founder, Olujobi

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By Eric Elezuo

“At CJMR, we stand firm on our scriptural foundation: ‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice…,” Pastor Olujobi 

Most citizens of the world are endowed with milk of human kindness, and are ever ready to lend a helping hand to folks in need, either for cash or kind. One of these citizens is a Nigerian of special breed, filled with compassion and zeal to assist wrongfully detained persons to regain their freedom. He is Mr. Hezekiah Olujobi, who is leading the fight against wrongful detention and elongated detention without trial with his Non-Governmental Organization, the Centre for Justice, Mercy and Reconciliation (CJMR).

The CJMR as stated, is NGO dedicated to promoting human rights and advocacy within the Nigeria Correctional Service and strengthening the rule of law in Nigeria Criminal Justice System, according to the Founder, Mr. Olujobi.

“Our area of focus are Advocacy, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Investigation, Cases review, Rehabilitation of individual upon freedom and Restorative Justice in Criminal Matter,” he added.

The CJMR as an organization, was established in 1999, and was officially registered in 2009. It has since then accumulated an enviable and proven track record of facilitating the release of individuals from death row, some of whom had been unjustly incarcerated for 18 to 28 years.

“Additionally, over 600 inmates have been freed from illegal detention after 4 to 12 years without trial. The organization has also established a Halfway Home that has benefited over 300 individuals.

“Our activities cut across the Correctional service in South West: Oyo, Odun , Ogun and Lagos States. We still have over 100 cases for intervention including 10 people on death row whom we strongly believed they are victims of wrongful conviction,” Olujobi stressed.

Hezekiah Olujobi, also known as a Pastor, for his vocation as a preacher of the gospel, who is the founder of CJMR, is currently working on two books to project the work of the organization so far.

The first, “Their Stories Behind Bars,” is a collection of narratives from individuals wrongfully sentenced to death and how the organization helped secure their rrlease, while the second book, “Their Hurts and Unforgettable Memories,” delves into the stories of victims and offenders, exploring their deep hurts and the healing process through restorative justice.

The following stories below as told by Pastor Olujobi, carefully epitomizes how far the NGO has gone to put smiles on the faces of individuals, who have otherwise lost hope of ever living their lives among free people again

Olaniyi Emiola’s Wrongful Conviction: My Belief in His Innocence

Olaniyi Emiola was sentenced to death based on witness testimony that was a case of mistaken identity. The armed robber apprehended at the crime scene insisted he was not the person being referred to and claimed he did not know Emiola at all. However, one of the victims, who recognized Emiola by the name “Abija,” insisted that he was the culprit. Emiola was known in the streets as “Abija,” not “Niyi,” yet the robber mentioned a “Femi Niyi,” not “Abija.” The man in question is Olaniyi Emiola, not Femi Niyi. During the trial, it was claimed that the robber identified the house of their leader to them, who is known as Abija,

In this controversial case, the conclusion of judgment of my noble lord, Hon Justice Jimoh of the Tribunal Court, was as follows:

“It is our considered judgment that the discovery of the second accused in the house pointed out by the first accused to the prosecution, and the discovery of the stolen items in the house shown to the police by the first accused, are admissible and well taken. Referencing R. v. Garbett (1847) 2 C & K 474 and R. v. Treacy (1945) 30 CAR 93, with these authorities in view, the second accused has been properly identified and linked with the commission of the crime charged.

Since the prosecution has adduced sufficient evidence to place the second accused at the scene at the material time, his alibi defense is logically and physically demolished.

This was established by the Supreme Court in the cases of Patrick Njovens vs. The State (1973) 5 SC 17 at 65 and Christian Nwosisi v. The State (1976) 6 SC 109 at 112.

It is my considered judgment that since the defense of the second accused has failed and, by the acceptable evidence of the prosecution witnesses, the accused has fallen into the warm embrace of the law, and I so hold.

SENTENCE: OLANIYI EMIOLA – The sentence of the Tribunal upon you is that you be hanged by the neck until you are dead or suffer death by firing squad, as the Administrator of this State may direct. May the Lord have mercy on your soul.”

This was the judgment that sent a man to darkness and anguish, leaving him to await execution in a solitary cell for 11 years without the right to appeal, luckily for him, the abolition of execution was announced in Nigeria.

Reprieve came when we visited Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in 2007. We investigated the matter by analyzing the entire judgment and all the contents of the case file. We took up his case, amplified his voice of innocence, and refuted all the arguments in light of the existing facts recorded in the judgement.

Olaniyi Emiola was finally set free in January 2011, after 17 years had been wrongfully taken from his life.

One can only imagine what would have happened if execution had not been abolished in Nigeria.

CJMR’s Advocacy visit to the Oyo State Attorney General

The organisation has also taken its advocacy to the Attorney General’s office in Oyo State, and achieved certain parameters as represented in the narrative below:

“On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, the Committee for Centre for Justice Mercy and Reconciliation (CJMR) conducted an advocacy visit to the office of the Oyo State Attorney General. The purpose of the visit was to highlight the plight of numerous inmates who have been denied justice and are enduring the prolonged anguish of indefinite trials for capital offenses.

The primary goal of the visit was to bring to the Attorney General’s attention specific cases of individuals who appear to have been wrongfully accused of capital offenses and have been languishing in detention since 2015 without legal advice. Additionally, there are those who have been repeatedly taken to the High Court since 2017 without the prosecution presenting a single witness.

In a recent development on March 18 and 19, 2024, the Oyo State Chief Judge, Honorable Justice Iyabo Yerima, visited the custodial centers in Ibadan and Oyo. She firmly resolved not to address any capital offense cases, maintaining her stance throughout the jail delivery exercise. Consequently, 32 inmates were released from Agodi and 38 from Oyo, totaling 70 releases from facilities that house 1,250 and 827 inmates, respectively. The data clearly indicates that a significant proportion of detainees charged with capital offenses remain unaddressed.

Pastor Olujobi further noted that “During the CJMR’s visit, seven recommendations were proposed to enhance the efficiency of justice delivery by the Attorney General’s office, and a list of 32 individuals awaiting legal advice was submitted.”

The Attorney General, known for his humility and activism, pledged to collaborate with the CJMR.

He further acknowledged that “It is a profound injustice for individuals, even those apprehended with substantial evidence, to be detained indefinitely, risking the degradation of evidence and waning interest or resolve of witnesses. The slow turn of the justice system’s wheels can erode its very foundation.

“Similarly, it is an injustice for an innocent person to endure punishment due to procedural delays or inefficiencies.

The presumption of innocence until proven guilty is a fundamental principle of democratic societies, yet it is undermined when the process to establish innocence is plagued by excessive delays. The time for change is now.

Olujobi is also of the view that “The judiciary must move beyond a confessionary-based approach to prison decongestion and focus on those unjustly detained for capital offenses.”

From Darkness to Light: The Unraveling of Injustice and the Triumph of Freedom for Olusola Adepetu after 26 years behind bar

In this scenario, the police conducted a comprehensive investigation, and the defense attorney performed admirably. However, despite these efforts, the judge appeared to succumb to public pressure, reminiscent of Pontius Pilate’s historical decision, resulting in Olusola Adepetu being wrongfully sentenced to death.

Tragically, this miscarriage of justice led to the loss of 26 years of Adepetu’s life.

The appellant, a native of Ondo state was 34 years old at the time of his arrest, a father of 4 children with a broken home.

He was the owner of Olusola Naturalist Hospital. He was a Guru in herbal traditional-medicine, very popular with radio and television advertisements.

He cures all manner of ailment, he was a highlife socialite, he was a member of special marshal of Federal Road Safety Commission, due to the nature of his work as herbal traditional medicine healer he was highly connected with people in high places who always patronized him and in the world ravaged with deceases people always throng his office to seek healing for their ailments.

He is not a medical doctor but always referred to as Doctor Olusola.

All of a sudden, the light of his fame and popularity went off, he was enveloped with thick darkness. For a good 26 years he never walks under the moon nor is beaten by rain.

What happened?

His girlfriend was murdered in a mysterious way, three days later, her dead body was recovered by the police at the Express way, Sanyo, Ibadan and deposited at mortuary in Adeoyo state Hospital. Who must have done this?

Nobody knows till today. The relations who were in the shop of the father of his girlfriend who saw him when he came to pick the deceased and the bar man who saw him the previous day with the deceased pointed touch light on him.

Upon his arrest, rumors went round the whole city like wildfire and consumed the heart of men, same Radio and Television stations where his advertisements were being jingled, announced his arrest, all kinds of rumors went round the city, his case became a celebrated case.

He was consumed by the public adverse opinion.

With all kinds of rumors, the death of the lady was attributed to ritual killing, some said he cut the breast of the lady, some said he cut her private part for the ritual purpose.

At every court adjournment the whole court room and the premises will always be filled up with people. The case attracted the public interest. Like Pontius Pilate, the judge has no choice than to deliver the innocent man as a sacrificial lamb not for the world but for his likely hidden sin.

Light shines on his path again, when we unravel the case file documents with the dissenting judgement and the man regains his freedom after 26 years.

The critical question is: Who will advocate for the poor and helpless? It is us;
The Chief Judge, Attorney General, Commissioner of Police, and all stakeholders must be involved. And this where CJMR comes in, and the organization are doing it.

“We therefore call for wholesome assistance from all and sundry to sustain the tempo, and help our people, who graciously need the assistance,” Olujobi concluded.

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