June 12: How IBB stole Nigeria's freest and fairest election from MKO Abiola.

Chief MKO Abiola has been posthumously
honoured by the Buhari led federal government (Punch)

On June 12 1993, Nigerians poured into polling units to vote for MKO Abiola. And then, the man died.

In 1993, I was the starry-eyed kid growing up in rural Cross River State; who was helping Mom peel melons, fetch water from the Obubra river, wash dishes, fetch firewood to process garri and tend to the farms.

In the wee hours of the morning, Mom would knock her wooden radio into life for the Voice of America.  During the day, I would head to my Uncle’s house a few meters away to grab the week’s editions of TELL, TheNEWS or Newswatch magazines which I would then go on to consume voraciously.

In the evenings, we’d huddle over another uncle’s radio under a mango tree; with the antennae adjusted and readjusted until we could make out what the radio presenter was up to.

It was the age of AM, short wave, baggy jeans and bicycles.

My life was pretty idyllic and boy, did I love it!

1993 was the year before the USA ‘94 world cup when I had pictures of Jay Jay Okocha and Rashidi Yekini plastered on the walls of our rustic apartment--cuttings  from the Complete Football magazines big brother was bringing home from Lagos.

By Jude Egbas.

Full story at Pulse NG.