‘Why only me?’ — Dangiwa recalls forgotten heroes of June 12 struggle
Retired Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar has expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for conferring on him the national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in recognition of his role in the struggle for the actualisation of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Dangiwa’s name was initially omitted from the list of 66 Nigerians honoured on Democracy Day, but President Tinubu later clarified that it was an oversight and added his name. Describing Dangiwa as a “soldier of democracy,” Tinubu praised his courage and commitment during Nigeria’s fight to restore democratic rule.
In a statement on Sunday, Dangiwa said while he was honoured by the recognition, it felt incomplete without acknowledging the contributions of other unsung heroes, particularly fellow military officers who risked their careers and lives for the June 12 struggle.
He noted that although he was one of the leaders of the pro-democracy movement within the military, many others played vital roles behind the scenes without public recognition.
Dangiwa revealed that late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the annulled June 12 election, secured over 80 percent of votes from members of the armed forces—an indication of the military’s quiet but significant support for democracy at the time.
He listed several key figures who participated in the struggle, including Saad Abubakar, the current Sultan of Sokoto; former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki; and former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Others mentioned were Lawal Jafaru Isa, ML Gwadabe, Musa Shehu, J. Temlong, Chris Eze, and Yahaya Abubakar, now the Etsu Nupe.
The former military governor stressed that his list was not exhaustive, acknowledging that many more patriots who contributed remained unknown even to him. He extended an apology to anyone whose name was inadvertently omitted.
Calling for good governance, he urged Nigerian leaders to rule with integrity, fairness, and respect for democratic principles, reminding them of the sacrifices made by countless Nigerians to secure the nation’s democracy.
