Guardian

Chief Mubashiru Abiola is the immediate younger brother to M.K.O Abiola. He told GBENGA AKINFENWA some hard facts regarding  the June 12 debacle.

DO you think Nigerians have shown enough appreciation of the immense sacrifice your brother made regarding June 12?

I am not really aware of efforts of other states in the country, but Ogun and Lagos states have really tried their best in ensuring that MKO’s sacrifices are remembered and we the family members are happy about it. As big as Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital is, on every June 12, the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun would trek over 30 miles to our family house in Oja-Agbo. I am not aware of what other states are doing, but these two states have really tried their best.

But that has not sufficiently addressed the issues and the sacrifices MKO made. If the Federal Government really understands that it is sitting on MKO Abiola’s blood, then they must put up things that would immortalize his name and assist his family, to keep his memory alive. None of the past civilian presidents ever showed interest; none of them showed concern about his family, it is painful.

What do you think should be the place of June 12 in this political dispensation?

What is presently happening can be likened to the story of Jesus Christ in the Bible, who shed his blood to take away the sin of the whole world, it is the same thing that I believe MKO has done. He shed his blood for Nigerians to be free from slavery and the claws of the military dictators. If not for him, Nigeria would still be under military rule, but now if our people really know the essence of his sacrifice, his family should not be neglected. It shouldn’t be only Ogun and Lagos states that would be extending gestures to the family. Nigerians as a whole should cater for his family.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was MKO’s kinsman and ought to be at the forefront to champion recognition for June 12, but he never did. His successor, Yar’Adua did not. What do you think is the problem?

I believe in one thing, that whatever we sow that is what we shall reap, there is nothing that has no gain, either good or bad. When General Olusegun Obasanjo was the president, though he is our elder brother, his aversion to Abiola’s case was a surprise, maybe Nigerians can ask him why. Whenever he sees us, he receives us with open arms, whenever I went to his house, he welcomes me well, but his inability to do something tangible on MKO’s case is left to him. It is between him and God. I believe there is something he has refused to divulge that to us. I visited him twice while he was in office and we had private talks and he treated me well. So it’s only him that can tell us his reasons.

Were there promises made by the Federal Government; were they fulfilled?

Nobody made any promise to us; aside the two states that I mentioned, the two states that have always been there for us. They have always rendered assistance to us. I just passed a proposal to Governor Amosun on the rehabilitation of MKO’s house and he told me to come on Tuesday. Except we didn’t put anything forward to him that he would not do. He was very close to the family before he became governor and he has never denied us.

Based on his sacrifice, aside the yearly ritual of marking June 12, what do you think government can do to immortalise MKO?

Marking the June 12 is a mere commemoration; the most important thing that should have been done has been neglected. They should try and ensure that every year the federal government has something meaningful to do for his family. It was government that killed him and they abandoned his family, we’ve seen nothing from the federal government.

You seem to be angry?

Our first grievance is that the Federal Governmen has refused to pay debts owed MKO. After his death, I met former President Obasanjo when he was in office and I told him that the money owed should be paid to the family on installments to cater for members. He promised to try his best, but till he left the place we received nothing. He might say the money was not borrowed during his regime, the money was actually borrowed during General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida’s regime, nothing stops Obasanjo from paying the debt while in office. Before my brother died, Babangida paid part of that money and I know about it. The remaining balance should have been paid since. Our main grievance is that the Federal Government should have something tangible to do annually for this family. Though the commemoration of June 12 is okay, but is that what the family would use to survive?

When the former governor of the state, Segun Osoba was in office, he was very close to the family and was very helpful, like Amosun is doing now. We just thank God for giving us a good wife in the family in the person of Alhaja Moriamo Adebisi Abiola, who has been taking good care of the house, Doyin is also supporting.

Do you really miss your brother?

There is nobody to play his part, what he was doing for the family nobody can do it, except God gives us another person. Not all his children are okay now and there is no assistance from anywhere, apart from the two states.

Most of the companies and business concern of MKO have packed-off, is there any plan by the family to resuscitate some?

Most of them have really closed down, its only Radio Communication of Nigeria (RCN) on airport road, Lagos that is still functioning. If it were in a civilised country where MKO died in this type of course, the family wouldn’t suffer at all. We see a lot of jamboree and spending spree by our politicians, if MKO didn’t die who among them could face the military; he decided to die for the liberation of his people. He was released in 1995 on bail, but it was the NADECO people that didn’t allow his release. Their action then, though brought money to their pockets is already having negative effect on them; they are already suffering for it. We are just appealing to the Federal Government to come to our aid. If not for MKO’s death there wont be this democracy? Our people said it was Babangida that killed him, was he the president when MKO died? Babangida was not involved in MKO’s death, some Yoruba people are responsible for his death, I know many of them but I won’t mention names. Even the annulment, Yoruba were responsible for it. On many occasions they had meetings with Babangida. Babangida doesn’t want to talk, if he talks the Yoruba race would break, he has nothing to do with what is on ground at all, he was pushed into it. Though he later regretted his action but he was warned that if he refused to annul the election MKO and his family would be bombed, but because of his interest in MKO he took that decision and annulled the election, to save MKO and his family. He was forced to do it. When the man was telling this, he was close to tears.