Ajasin’s Son, Tokunbo, Faults Omission Of Father’s Title On June 12 Heroes’ Record

Tokunbo Ajasin, the eldest youngster of former governor of Outdated Ondo State, Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin, has protested the non-inclusion of his father’s identify and different veterans of June 12, 1993, battle as heroes within the President Bola Tinubu’s checklist on Democracy Day.

In his protest piece titled: “The unfinished checklist of June 12 Heroes,” Tokunbo reeled out different names as contained in a guide printed by Chief Olusegun Osoba, two phrases governor of Ogun State and veteran of June 12 battle.

“A lot as I hate to get private, I might be mendacity if I didn’t say that I and different members of my household have been slightly stunned that the identify of our dad was not amongst these honoured by President Tinubu as he doled out Nationwide honours to June 12 heroes.

“Apart from, I’ve been inundated with calls from buddies and well-wishers questioning why my late dad’s identify, Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin was omitted from the checklist.

“As is attribute of the Ajasin household, our deeds are principally altruistic, since there may be normally no yearning for any reward, however our privations. Consequently, our deeds and performances fairly often go unnoticed/unrecognised.

“Nonetheless, it’s unconscionable that the chief of the group (NADECO) greatest identified for preventing the navy and bringing concerning the much-touted democracy by no means acquired a single point out within the scheme of June 12 celebration/anniversary,” Tokunbo mentioned.

The Nationwide Democratic Coalition (NADECO), a gaggle led by the late former governor of Outdated Ondo State was the arrowhead of the democratic battle to reverse the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election gained by late Chief Moshood Abiola.

He added that he didn’t know whether or not the conspicuous omission was deliberate or not, “however be it identified that Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin CFR in his lifetime doubled because the Chief of Afenifere and NADECO, the 2 organisations that have been the arrowheads and within the forefront of the combat in opposition to navy dictatorship.”

He recalled that it was Afenifere that supplied the management for all different activists and civil society organisations which included the Marketing campaign for Democracy (CD), Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Motion for Nationwide Reformation (MNR), Nationwide Conscience Party (NCP), Involved Professionals (CP), amongst others.

Chief Osoba in his guide, “Battle traces: Adventures in Energy”, recognized 49 founding signatories of NADECO together with Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin, Mallam Lawal Dambazzau, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Main Common Adeyinka Adebayo (retd.), Chief Bola Ige, Commodore Dan Suleiman, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Professor Anya O. Anya.

Others are 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, Mr Babas Eko Oyekanmi, Mr Alex Ayatolla, Mrs Sarah Jubril, Alhaji Ganiyu Dawodu, Mr O. P. Edodo, Mr A. Barber and Otunba Olabiyi Durojaiye.

Are also Chief Olusegun Osoba, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Alhaji Mohammed Siraj Hamza, Dr. Wahab Dosunmu, Otunba Aboyade Cole, Main Common Olufemi Olutoye (rtd), Chief Sobo Sowemimo, Dr. Steve Achema, Chief Olaniwun Ajayi, Chief Olu Falae, Brigadier-Common Jonah Jang, Chief Abraham Adesanya, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Mr. Alao Aka-Bashorun, Mr. Emmanuel Njiwah, Chief Vincent Nwizugbo and Dr. Uma Eleazu.

Different distinguished NADECO leaders embrace, however weren’t restricted to Mr. Ayo Opadokun, Mr. Wale Osun, Common Alani Akinrinade, Femi Falana, Bola Tinubu, Lam Adesina, Chief Segun Adegoke, Chief Adebayo Adefarati, Clement Nwankwo, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu and Senator Kofo Bucknor, to call just a few.

Tokunbo famous that whereas Chief Ajasin was the chief of NADECO, Chief Anthony Enahoro was the Deputy chief, and Mr Ayo Opadokun was the Common Secretary.

“None of those names appeared on the printed checklist! Though the above checklist is in no way exhaustive, but, a lot of the above names are lacking from the checklist of heroes of June 12 that acquired printed at this time (Thursday). So what occurred? Why are the bureaucrats getting it improper?

“On the threat of being conceited, my father, our household and certainly the Owo group have been subjected to all kinds of dangers from the marauding goon of the Abacha regime. Even the place no awards or rewards are disbursed to those heroes of democracy, they definitely need to be recognised and talked about in a rustic that has a dearth of heroes.

“Many members of the group fled overseas on exile, others have been imprisoned whereas some have been martyred, but many are nonetheless alive to inform their tales,” he mentioned.