The declaration of June 12 as the real and true democracy day by President Muhammadu Buhari demonstrated to Nigerians that a new page has been opened in our democratic journey as a nation.
The man I knew many years back in Kaduna, in and out of military uniform lived a life of integrity, honour and fear of the Almighty Allah.
When he decided to finally run for the highest office in the land, I knew he would change the landscape that had hitherto been polluted.
The sweet fragrance brought by the Buhari presidency is what the smelly smelling characters in the country can longer endure. It is to the credit of this people’s president that the oppressed can for once look at their oppressors in the face and call them their real names.
What can justify, the fact that the wealth of the people stolen by unconscionable high profile thieves are what is ploughed back in peanuts for the oppressed and they are expected to appreciate them?
My believe in Buhari and his government to deliver a modern democracy that will be a clear departure from what the military bequeathed to us after May 29, 1999 is unshakable.
More importantly, anything that brings to our mind the unfortunate way, we have been administered since the return of democracy in 1999 must be re-addressed.
Apparently, that is what June 12 declaration as a new day of democracy will serve. It is a signal that oppression has a life span. It is a pointer that there will always be a bright shine day after the dark moment.
I will continue to align myself with other democrats in my home state of Kwara to ensure that the dignity and pride of our people are restored.
The moral decadence that pervades our land can be predicated on the uninspiring and poor leadership in the state where young people are no longer struggling to uphold the high societal values but seeking means of getting rich quickly.
As a young man, while growing up in Shonga, a Nupe community in Edu local government area of Kwara State, I can’t remember now, who was the richest man. Now and always, I know at the tip of my fingers our headmaster and school teachers.
Those are the people the every community held in high esteem. How did we get here? It’s a deliberate and conscious efforts of some deviants in our midst that have no selling points and values to add to our corporate existence.
For every issue of significance to our development, they talk of money, they eroded our values and possess no valuable traits for the young people to emulate.
We must enlist the support of all well meaning Kwarans to re-present and preserve our name that have been seriously battered.
The request by well meaning Kwarans home and diaspora urging me to join the race to the government house in 2019, as a duty to help in mentoring the young people whose success now or later will reflect how we performed during our sojourn here will be given a serious thought.
Our limitless belief in peaceful Kwara that earned us the status of the state of harmony is urging us on, to see this onerous task of rescuing our dear state as a required communal duty before all Kwara of well meaning and true originality.
I join others in the world over, Nigeria and Kwara State in particular to celebrate this epochal democracy day.
*Signed*
*Alhaji Shuaib Yaman* *Abdullahi*
*Dan Masanmi, Shonga*
