Exactly 24 years ago, Epetedo, a once sleepy community in Lagos, was roused to prominence when it played host to one of the most talked about politicians in the history of Nigeria. It was indeed on June 11, 1994, that the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, winner of the 1993 presidential election, made the famous Epetedo Declaration when he announced to the world that he was president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore decided to constitute a parallel government.
It will be recalled that his June 12, 1993 victory at the presidential polls was annulled by the then military government headed by General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (retd). Abiola declared himself president under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) after beating his rival, Basir Tofa, of the National Republican Convention (NRC).
Today, significantly so, the public recognition of MKO Abiola as winner of the June 12, 1993, election by the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buahri, has been received by wide jubilation both locally and internationally. However, for residents of Epetedo, the event that brought their community to limelight has remained evergreen in their memory.
For many of them who interacted with Nigerian Tribune, they stated that it remained a joyful experience whenever they were asked to recount the June 11, 1994 outing when Abiola visited their community thereby making the auspicious declaration.
While they narrated to Nigerian Tribune as eyewitnesses of the event, they equally expressed satisfaction over the eventual recognition of June 12 (25 years after the election) by the Federal Government as a Democracy Day and the recognition bestowed on the late Abiola with the highest national honour in the country.
However, they quickly insisted that they were not satisfied with the various issues bedeviling the nation and their immediate environment. They believed that given the importance that Abiola accorded their community by making his declaration in their domain, they deserved a special recognition.
The street where the Premier Palace Club, inside of which Abiola declared himself president, and those surrounding it are not all that appealing. They are dotted with various sizes of face-me and face- you houses. And as a matter of fact, there is no pipe borne water in the entire community. Though, they have a borehole where many residents fetch water for drinking and for other domestic uses. Their electricity supply is also erratic according to them. Similarly, the Premier Palace Club premises, though, popular, is said to deserve a face-lift. Inside the premises are an erected Abiola statue, a mosque, a church, a computer training centre and a large hall (looking very old) where the declaration took place, among others.
However, residents’ experiences are similar. They recounted how they defied the heavy rain that evening to give Abiola their support. They also recollected that Abiola had oftentimes come in their midst long before the declaration as a politician and as a philanthropist. But except for a few, majority said they had no pre-knowledge of his coming let alone declaring himself as a president-elect in their midst. Some said that even though they had been seeing strange faces around earlier on that day without knowing it was Abiola that would be coming, they were hurriedly mobilized to the venue when the stage was finally set for him.
They said soon as the residents got the wind that Abiola was around and for the purpose he came, everywhere was jam-packed with people and that the whole programme was lasted for about 10 -15 minutes.
Some equally claimed that Abiola drove in a rickety Volkswagen car while some said it was a 504 Peugeot wagon alongside two other cars following and with many they called progressive politicians in and outside the area surfaced later to join him.
They equally said soon as Abiola finished his speech, he was whisked away by his loyalists and that in a short while, soldiers stormed the community and cordoned off everywhere and that for five to six weeks, the whole community was in a siege by the soldiers.
Interestingly, many of those who shared their experiences said they were active politicians at the time and also still active at present. Among them are 76-year –old Barrister Akeem Oladapo, who actually contested against MKO Abiola as a Presidential aspirant from Lagos State, but stepped down for him at the Jos Convention and Alhaji Abdul Waheed Jawando, an All Progressive Party octogenarian stalwart in the Lagos Central Senatorial District and former councilor. Others include a 71-year-old Madam Amoke Lawal (a.k.a Iya Lemo 1); Prince Segun Adams popularly known as Oba in the community and one of the conveners of the Epetedo Pacesetters; Sikiru Oshodi and Jamiu Abdulkareem who was in JSS2 at the period and so forth.
They said based on their strong contributions to the June 12 struggle and the political landscape of Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole, they deserve fair treatment from the government.
They said while their people deserve to be appointed by the government into positions even as ministers and other big posts, the Premier Palace Club should be given a face lift and made a tourist site in order to serve as a monument even to yet unborn generations.
For example, Oladapo said “Fortunately, I was one of the organizers of his declaration and it was a very memorial day. But I will be frank to you as a lawyer, I knew that after the celebration, there would be trouble and truly there was because government of the day followed us to this place. And as soon as we left this place and went to Surulere, they followed him and later arrested him. All these we anticipated. But well, whatever God wants to happen will actually happen.
“Abiola is gone now, but the memory remains fresh and glorious. And by the grace of God, this country will never forget him. In terms of the development. Yes, this is a historical place. Well, you see the issue of development in our society is always gradual because those who colonized this country destroyed it to the extent that before we could develop, it would take a long time. Don’t forget that development needs resources. And if you don’t have the required resources, you cannot develop at the speed you would have loved to. That is the major issue about Nigeria. All of us will like to see this place look like London or New York, but where is the resources? When you look at the resources that come to Nigeria, it is meager compared to that of any developed country around the world. It is not up to the resources of just an ordinary agency or an institution in the US or UK. So, I always plead with the people to be patient. We should be visionary and innovative. About the facility, it’s already a tourist centre, where many people come to at least during June 12 anniversaries. But it can be made better to attract tourists from all over the world.
“So, a fantastic incident happened there and there is no doubt about that. And that is why we are all here. And we will work together by the grace of God.
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Similarly Ahaji AbdulWaheed Jawando, said,“I witnessed every detail of the event. We were in SDP and we held various meetings. And General Diya happened to be one that was communicating with MKO Abiola on the position of government. Abacha had intention initially to relinquish power for Abiola, but when many of our people started getting different appointments including ministerial, they wanted Abacha to continue. But that very particular day Abiola declared we were with him. He was in complete suit and tie. Then, he later changed to full agbada regalia green and white colour. But there was an information that he should hurry up because the security men were coming for his arrest. So, as soon as he was sworn-in by the NADECO boys, he left immediately. Even an army officer and state security service men were also here on his side.
On the mobilization, he said “Within a short time, everywhere was full of people. Everybody came out that day to witness the programme. The place has become an important place for us. For about four to five weeks, people were scared to move freely because soldiers and policemen were everywhere. The event shocked them. It was beyond their expectations. But upon the whole, they couldn’t arrest anybody. We have good leaders, who were also prominent like Wahab Dosumu, Adeniji Adele, who was a local government chairman then.
“But about our community, the government should come to do something for us. They should give us political appointments and give jobs to our youths. They should also come to lift the Premier palace Club and make it a tourist attraction site. It is a place to remember by generations yet unborn. Fortunately, Abiola himself is now being honoured by the present government.
In terms of political appointment, according to him, there was a little or nothing in that regards for us. I was close to JK Randle. He taught me boxing and from him, I picked interest in politics. My contemporary in politics is Chief Ganiyu Dawodu.On his part, Prince Segun Adams, who is popularly known as Oba in the community had this to say, “I was 27 years old them but very active politically. Though, I was in NRC, I voted for Abiola because the whole community which was dominated by SDP people believed in him.
“In fact, people were ready to attack soldiers that day. But they only surfaced shortly after Abiola had left. So, we want government to upgrade the Premier Palace. It is an historic centre and it should be given that recognition. This community should also have social amenities like pipe borne water . We only have a bore hole in the entire community and this is not good enough for us as a community that has contributed so much to the development of the state and the country at large.
Already, we have been advocating the lifting of the community and the Premier Palace Club. We are doing this through a social group, known as Epetedo Pacesetters and our motor is Home of June 12.
Madam Amoke Lawal (Iya Lemo 1) on her part said she was a party agent for SDP during the Presidential election which Abiola won and that she was fully on ground when he came to declare himself the president-elect.
According to her, Abiola deserves a street to be named after him in the community. Government officials should also be marking democracy day here yearly. We deserve it.
and then