Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has said beyond its symbolic status as a public holiday, June 12 must be remembered as a sacrifice that gave Nigerians democracy.
She stated this yesterday at the national premiere of “MKO”, a film on Chief Moshood Abiola, held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, Lagos, to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary.
Musawa noted that although 33 years after June 12, 1993, many young Nigerians know it only as a holiday, but the film has turned it back into memory.
She said: “For too many young Nigerians, June 12 is simply a public holiday. This film tells them that our democracy did not arrive by chance. It was fought for. It was defended. It was paid for. This documentary is in honour of the heroes of June 12, the men and women who gave their lives for the mandate of June 12, 1993 and for the democracy Nigeria enjoys today”.
The minister applauded President Bola Tinubu, who was the premiere’s chief host for his participation in the June 12 struggle and paying the price in exile, adding that Nigeria’s creative industry will keep telling the story of its democracy with courage.
“Through film and the creative economy, Nigeria will preserve its history. A nation that forgets its past loses its way to the future. Nigeria has a story and our story deserves to be told,” she said.
Earlier, the director of the investigative documentary, Ose Oyamendan, said the film was in honour and memory of heroes who fought for Nigeria’s democracy.
“There was Hope ’93 and now there is Renewed Hope. There was a man who sacrificed his life so we may have democracy and there is a man who almost lost his life fighting for democracy who is now helping build a lasting democracy.
“There was a great man called Bashorun MKO Abiola and there is now another great man called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Democrats. Nationalists. Nation builders. Leaders of men and women. We must never forget our story. We must always honour and remember our heroes,” Oyamendan said.
The premiere was graced by top government functionaries, including President Tinubu, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum ((NGF), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, state governors, members of the National Assembly, ministers and other distinguished dignitaries.