In a rare interview with TELL magazine, he made some startling revelations… In the midst of all the sacrifice and personal risk, there were people who still thought that Umar’s steadfastness was too good to be true:

“Sadly enough, people keep wondering how, for goodness sake, can a Fulani man from the Sokoto royal family really fight for the interest of a Yoruba man (over the June 12 issue). There are
people that are skeptical because of my geographical extraction, because of who I am, my personality. They cannot believe that I could support the cause of June 12 if that means swearing in a Yoruba man. What they don’t understand, the point they miss, is that one is not fighting purely for a Yoruba man. One is fighting for justice. One is fighting for truth and truth really has a universal language.”

NADECO
The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) was, at a time, the main umbrella under whose shade many democratic activists found accommodation. President Tinubu himself sponsored many of NADECO’s activities. Indeed, at last year’s Democracy Day dinner, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi disclosed that several of his trips to promote the democratic cause abroad were sponsored by Asiwaju Tinubu.

There is no reason why ALL the 49 founding signatories at the formation of NADECO would not be on the honours list. The 49 signatories were: Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin (Leader), Mallam Lawal Dambazzau, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, Chief Anthony Enahoro (Deputy Leader), Major General Adeyinka Adebayo (retd.), Chief Bola Ige, Commodore Dan Suleiman, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Professor Anya O. Anya, Colonel Yohanna Madaki, Reverend Father Moses Adasu, Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti, Reverend Tunji Adebiyi, Chief Ade Ojo, Chief Ralph Obioha, Chief Empire Kanu, Chief Michael Anyiam, Dr. Sola Soile, Vice Admiral Akin Aduwo, Chief E. Duru, Mr. Nick Dazzang, Mr. Labaran Maku, Dr A. A. Akingba and Mr Babas Eko Oyekanmi.

Also on the list were: Mr Alex Ayatolla, Mrs Sarah Jubril, Alhaji Ganiyu Dawodu, Mr O. P. Edodo, Mr A. Barber, Otunba Olabiyi Durojaiye, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Alhaji Mohammed Siraj Hamza, Dr. Wahab Dosunmu, Otunba Aboyade Cole, Major General Olufemi Olutoye (rtd), Chief Sobo Sowemimo, Dr. Steve Achema, Chief Olaniwun Ajayi, Chief Olu Falae, Brigadier-General Jonah Jang, Chief Abraham Adesanya, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Mr. Alao Aka-Bashorun, Mr. Emmanuel Njiwah, Chief Vincent Nwizugbo and Dr. Uma Eleazu.

The list of other prominent NADECO leaders would include Mr. Ayo Opadokun, Mr. Wale Osun, General Alani Akinrinade, Femi Falana, Senator Bola Tinubu, Lam Adesina, Chief Segun Adegoke, Chief Adebayo Adefarati, Clement Nwankwo, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu and Senator Kofo Bucknor Akereleto among others (Source: “Battle lines: Adventures in Power” by Olusegun Osoba).

In my piece last year, I also remembered some of those whose paths crossed mine as we navigated the treacherous minefield of Nigerian journalism and social activism at the time: If I may remember some of those whose paths crossed mine in those days of goggled evil: Nze Mark Odu, BK Ogala, Moshood Fayemiwo, Jimmy Imo, Joe Igbokwe, Eddy Okparaoji, among others.

BAGAUDA KALTHO
The joy that President Tinubu has put in the hearts of some activists’ families is unquantifiable. Take the case of the family of Bagauda Kaltho, an investigative journalist who was eliminated by agents of the military government while claiming that he wasn’t in their custody. Terrible things happened in those days and it is good to remind ourselves of those things so that we don’t fall back into those traps. Military rule is Golgotha. That aberration ate some of the most productive years of my generation.

Bagauda Kaltho, an investigative journalist as good as they came in those competitive days, was kidnapped and murdered by agents of the military government. Then, they spread all sorts of scandalous stories about him hoping to thereby duck the scent of death hanging over them. That was a couple of days after Ken Saro-Wiwa had been judicially murdered by the same military government. Those were, indeed, the days of the vultures.

Kaltho’s wife was full of praises for the recognition accorded her late husband at last. “My husband disappeared sometime between late 1996 and early 1997 in line of duty. This national honour is not only a validation of my husband’s unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and the defence of democratic ideals, but also a powerful reminder that the sacrifices of those who speak truth to power are never forgotten,” she said. And I say its payback time for goodness.

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