PAUL NWOSU
In his 2025 Democracy Day address to the nation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu delivered a solemn and reflective tribute to Nigeria’s democratic journey, anchoring his message on the enduring legacy of June 12, 1993, a day widely regarded as when the freest and fairest election in Nigeria’s history was held. Central to the President’s message was the acknowledgement and recognition of the sacrifices made by heroes and heroines of democracy, both living and dead.
Among the most significant moments of his speech was the posthumous conferment of a national honour on Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the man who chaired the National Electoral Commission (NEC) and conducted the historic 1993 presidential election. Until now, Professor Nwosu had remained largely uncelebrated by the state, despite his instrumental role in organizing and supervising an electoral process that defied the entrenched culture of electoral fraud and impunity that characterized Nigeria’s past.
President Tinubu’s recognition of Professor Nwosu represents not just an act of justice but a symbolic restoration of truth in the nation’s political memory. By honouring the late Professor, the President corrected a historical oversight that had relegated a courageous public servant to the margins of national acclaim. Nwosu’s leadership in deploying the Open Ballot System and presiding over what was widely seen as a peaceful, credible, and transparent election was a watershed moment in Nigeria’s democratic evolution. Yet, for decades, the state had been hesitant to accord him due recognition, largely because the outcome of the election was annulled and politically suppressed.
In honouring Nwosu, President Tinubu gave voice to a long-suppressed national conscience and affirmed that the truth, no matter how long buried, would eventually emerge. It was a profound gesture of reconciliation with the past and a forward-looking affirmation that Nigeria would never again allow those who protect democracy to be forgotten or punished for doing the right thing.
The President’s words were not only an affirmation of democratic ideals but also a recommitment to the principle that the Nigerian people must remain the ultimate custodians of power. By highlighting Nwosu’s contribution alongside that of Chief M.K.O. Abiola and other martyrs of June 12, Tinubu subtly reinforced the narrative that democracy is neither an abstract concept nor a mere routine of elections. It is a hard-earned trust forged in the crucible of struggle, sacrifice, and national aspiration.
In this light, the 2025 Democracy Day was more than a ceremonial occasion. It was a redemptive moment. A time when a long-neglected chapter of national history was finally reopened and written with justice, honour, and gratitude. For Professor Humphrey Nwosu and all those who stood for truth when it was most dangerous to do so, Nigeria’s democracy now bears the imprint of their courage, publicly affirmed at last.
*Paul Nwosu PhD wrote from Awka.