As part of the 2023 Democracy Day and 30th anniversary of the annulment of 1993 June 12th elections, Micheal Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) has announced posthumous Fellowship awards for Nigeria’s Democracy heroes that include late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola also known as M. K. O. Abiola the winner of the annulled election and Chief Frank Kokori, former General Secretary of National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers’ Union ( NUPENG) .

The Director General of MINILS, Comrade Issa Aremu disclosed this in Ilorin at the Democracy Day event organized by the Institute on Monday in Ilorin.

Aremu observed that given that democracy is indispensable for the realization of the core mandate of MINILS with respect to labour education.

“It was imperative to acknowledge and celebrate those who had sacrificed for building democracy in Nigeria and Africa adding that democratic process is indispensable for sustainable decent work and labour education.

“Late M K O Abiola was not only a pillar of sports in Africa, an investor in printing and publishing, a progressive politician who proclaimed “farewell to poverty” but an enthusiastic promoter of labour education through generous donation to NLC Education Fund in the 80s.” Aremu said.

The Director General hailed the Democracy Day speech of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for acknowledging the singular sacrifices of the likes of Chief MKO Abiola, his late wife, Kudirat Abiola, Pa Alfred Rewane, and Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (retd.) “Who were silenced by the military junta while in pursuit of democracy”.

He said President Tinubu was right on point that dead and living heroes of democracy commendably “Gave their yesterday for the liberty that is ours today”.

Comrade Aremu observed that President Tinubu’s speech further renewed hope in democracy with affirmative commitment the truth, equity, fairness, respect for the rule of law, and the dignity of the citizens.

He therefore called on all stakeholders to be vigilant in defence of human rights and good governance through reindustrialization, job creation and poverty eradication.

Speakers at the event included chairmen of NLC and TUC in Kwara state, gender activists, members of the civil society and people living with disabilities.

Delivering a lecture titled “Labour and Democratic Process,” former Special Adviser on Labour Matters to the Kwara State Governor, Comrade AbdulMumin Onagun, urged states across the country to emulate MINILS by remembering the heroes of Nigeria’s democracy.

He noted that democracy has guaranteed freedom of speech, freedom of association and fundamental human rights in the country.

Onagun added that democratic governance has enabled the organised labour to negotiate with government on issues affecting workers’ welfare in the country since the nation retuned to democratic governance in 1999.

In his goodwill message, the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kwara State , Murtala Olayinka, urged the judiciary arm of government to perform its constitutional role more effectively in order to ensure the sustainability of the nation’s democracy.

The state chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Tunde Joseph, hailed the MINILS for organising special programme to commemorate the democracy day.

Democracy Day is June 12, a national public holiday in Nigeria.

On June 6, 2018, eight days after May 29, 2018, had been celebrated as Democracy Day, the President Buhari-led Federal Government of Nigeria declared June 12 to be the new Democracy Day

It commemorates the democratic election of Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola also known as M. K. O. Abiola on June 12, 1993, in what has been adjudged to be Nigeria’s freest and fairest elections.