Godswill Akpabio, president of the senate, has called on
President Bola Tinubu to immortalise the June 12 struggle by establishing a
national democracy museum.
Akpabio spoke during the joint sitting of the national
assembly on Thursday to mark the 2025 Democracy Day.
He said the museum would serve as a “living archive” to
honour the sacrifices made by pro-democracy heroes.
“I respectfully urge Mr President to consider the
establishment of a June 12 Museum — a living archive where the stories,
artefacts, struggles, and sacrifices of the democratic movement will be housed,
preserved, and taught,” Akpabio said.
“The memory of June 12 must be preserved. Nations that
forget their past lose the moral compass for their future.”
The senate president said the return of democracy came at a
great cost, adding that the country must not forget those who “bled so we could
vote”.
“We owe it to those who fought. We owe it to those who fell.
We owe it to those who still believe,” he said.
Akpabio praised Tinubu’s role in the pro-democracy movement
and described his presence in the chamber as “nothing short of providence”.
He said the senate had introduced 844 bills and passed 96 in
the last two years, out of which 52 had been assented to by the president.
Akpabio said under Tinubu’s leadership, the country had
witnessed bold reforms, including foreign exchange unification, the removal of
fuel subsidies, and the establishment of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
The senate president urged Nigerians, particularly the
youth, not to treat democracy with apathy.
“To civil society, you must not let memory fade. To the
media, we must be held accountable through responsible journalism,” he added.
During his speech at the event, Tinubu conferred national
honours and granted a full state pardon to Ken Saro-Wiwa and the eight other
members of the Ogoni Nine, nearly three decades after their execution under the
military regime of Sani Abacha.
The president Tinubu posthumously awarded Saro-Wiwa the
Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), while his fellow Ogoni activists
—Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor
Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine — were each honoured with the Officer of
the Order of the Niger (OON).
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