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Activists urge FG to immortalise Kudirat Abiola

By Seye Olumide and Yetunde Ayobami Ojo
05 June 2015   |   4:20 am
NINETEEN years after the gruesome murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, some rights activist groups have restated call on the Federal Government to immortalise her in recognition of her struggle for democracy in Nigeria.   The rights activists stated…
Buhari

Buhari

NINETEEN years after the gruesome murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, some rights activist groups have restated call on the Federal Government to immortalise her in recognition of her struggle for democracy in Nigeria.
 
The rights activists stated this yesterday during the commemoration of the 19th anniversary‎ of Kudirat Abiola at her graveside in Abiola’s residence, Ikeja.
 
The rights groups, which comprised Campaign for Democracy (CD), Women Arise, Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND), National Conscience Party (NCP), Trade Union Congress (TUC), wife of the late human rights lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi, Mrs. Ganiyat Fawehinmi; National Co-ordinator, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, among others, said it is imperative of the government to immortalise Kudirat for the sacrifice she made for democracy to thrive in Nigeria.
 
In her remark, President of CD, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin described late Kudirat as mother of the struggle for democracy who displayed uncommon courage, virtue and doggedness where many men turned to jellies at the sight of gun or money.
 
According to her: “The saline heroine; the indefatigable Alhaja Kudirat was gruesomely hacked down 19 years ago by the agent of darkness. This was an indictment of the criminal administration system in the country that 19 years after the dastardly act, the perpetrators‎ are yet to be brought to book.
 
“It was only after the demise of former Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, that the snipers of that evil regime started to confess to the barbaric act of murdering an innocent and harmless woman. Kudirat would ever been remembered for her stout defence of the right of the people to choose who lead them and a rejection of the reign of jackpot in Nigeria.”
  
In her comment, Mrs. F‎awehinmi said: “We know that Nigerians know what justice is but they don’t do it.”
 
She however said that Kudirat’s spirit would continue to fight and hunt those who killed her.
 
Adams admonished the Federal Government to recognise Kudirat’s contributions to democracy by naming a monument after her in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, saying: “Most Abiola family members did not ‎benefit from the government.
 
Also, representative of TUC, Mr. Amachri Sunneto, toed the line of Okei-Odumakin, saying: “Nigerians must revisit the ‎past.

“The killers are still alive but we expect that they should be brought to book to face the wrath of the law.”
 
Jamiu and Abdul‎ Abiola expressed appreciation to the efforts of the human rights groups and their struggle and remembrance of their mother.

Jamiu said Nelson Mandela and Kudirat Abiola were the only two Africans that the United States (U.S.) ‎named streets after “because they know the value of their struggle.”

Chairman, National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd), said that justice must be done and not vengeance.

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