Nigeria’s Democracy Day: A Celebration of Shame in the Face of Tyranny

Nigeria’s Democracy Day: A Celebration of Shame in the Face of Tyranny On June 12, Nigeria marks its 26th year of uninterrupted civilian rul...

Nigeria’s Democracy Day: A Celebration of Shame in the Face of Tyranny

On June 12, Nigeria marks its 26th year of uninterrupted civilian rule — a day that should symbolize liberty, civil rights, and people’s power. Instead, what we witness is a grand charade, a theatrical display of hypocrisy masquerading as democracy. As officials give grand speeches and cut cakes to mark “Democracy Day,” the glaring truth stares us all on the face: democracy in Nigeria is gasping for breath — if not already dead.

What kind of democracy jails its dissenters? What kind of freedom allows no room for free speech? Nigeria, under the illusion of democratic governance, continues to detain Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in direct violation of both local and international legal standards. Kanu’s prolonged incarceration, despite court orders granting him bail exposes the brutal irony of Nigeria’s so-called democracy. Is this the “government of the people, by the people, and for the people” we are meant to celebrate?

You cannot claim to be democratic while treating voices of opposition as criminals. You cannot wear the toga of freedom while gagging the media, arresting journalists, stifling online expression, and criminalizing protest. Nigeria’s Democracy Day has become nothing but a celebration of oppression, deceit, and double standards. It is not a day of pride, but a reminder of the widening gap between the governed and those who rule them with iron fists under civilian garments.

We must ask ourselves: if democracy mean freedom, equality, and justice, then where are these values in today’s Nigeria? Why are the prisons full of activists, not armed robbers? Why is the voice of the people ignored while the voice of the powerful is amplified through government-controlled media? Why does peaceful agitation for self-determination invite tanks and bullets instead of dialogue and reform?

The continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is a symbol — a painful, shameful reminder that Nigeria has not yet learned the lessons of true democracy. It reminds the world that in Nigeria, political convenience often trumps the rule of law. That justice is selective. That human rights are seasonal. And that our leaders are comfortable using the language of democracy while employing the tools of dictatorship.

No nation can develop when its leaders are allergic to criticism. No democracy can grow where free speech is muzzled. The foundation of every democratic society is dissent — the right to question, to oppose, and to challenge authority without fear of being silenced.

Therefore, this June 12 should not be celebrated. It should be mourned. Until Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and all political prisoners are released, until the right to speak and protest against the wrong without fear is restored, and until the Nigerian government respects its own laws and constitution, we have nothing to celebrate. What we have is not Democracy Day. It is the Day of Deception and a celebration of shame.

Family Writers Press International