Oluwatosin Enesi
Former Military Administrator of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd), has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for bestowing on him the national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR), in recognition of his role in the June 12 pro-democracy struggle.
In a statement released on Sunday, Col. Umar expressed gratitude for the honour, which he received during the President’s recent official visit to Kaduna State. However, he appealed to the President to extend similar recognition to other military officers who, he said, played crucial roles in the struggle for the validation of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was presumed to have been won by Chief MKO Abiola.
Umar revealed that 38 military officers risked their lives and careers in the fight to restore democratic governance during Nigeria’s military era. He stressed that while his contributions have been acknowledged, many others have remained unsung despite their significant sacrifices.
“When the President called to inform me of his decision to magnanimously confer on me the CFR… my first reaction was, why only me and not all those unsung heroes… They have remained anonymous,” he stated.
He described the recent honour as a moral obligation to publicly identify the contributions of these fellow officers, some of whom continued the movement even after the arrest and retirement of others in 1993.
Among those he listed were former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar (then a Major); and several serving and retired officers such as Lt. Col. ML Gwadabe, Col. J Okai, Maj. Sani Bawa, Maj. Suleiman Wali, and others.
While noting that his list is not exhaustive, Umar apologised for any omissions and prayed that God would reward all who made sacrifices for democracy.
He also used the opportunity to reflect on Nigeria’s current democratic journey, emphasising the importance of accountable leadership and warning against the growing culture of sycophancy in political circles.
“Mr President must lead in a war against sycophancy in all its forms. This must allow for no exceptions… The other day, the Senate President was reported to have predicted that President Bola Tinubu will win the 2027 election with 99.9% of the votes! Even allowing for the fact that this Senate President is widely known for his humorous incitement, Mr President will do well to shun such oracles,” Umar remarked.
He concluded by urging all arms of government to uphold the tenets of democracy and serve the people with sincerity, adding that the national honour he received would be even more meaningful if it ultimately leads to the real dividends of democracy being delivered to Nigerians.
Our Reporter
