National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu, Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and Cherie Blair (Wife of Tony Blair, former UK Prime Minister) are among personalities expected at the 2020 Democracy Day celebration by Lagos State Government.
This was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Gboyega Akosile issued in Lagos.
Akosile said the state will be celebrating the 27th anniversary of June 12 and Democracy Day with Nigerian youths.
He gave the theme of the online celebration as “June 12: Learning from the Past, Shaping the Future”.
The virtual event which is scheduled to commence by 12.00 noon on Friday, June 12 (today), will also feature multi-award winning artiste, Timi Dakolo and TY Bello, among notable personalities, the statement said further.
According to the statement, joining the other artistes would be a veteran journalist, public commentator and publisher of Ovation Magazine, Bashorun Dele Momodu.
It further said that artistes are expected to entertain youths from different campuses that will be attending the online celebration.
The statement read in part: “They (artistes) will be joined by Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu, former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in the state, Mr. Dele Alake.
“Also, daughter of late Moshood Abiola, Dr Hafsat Abiola-Costello, will speak on how to inculcate democratic values that will aid Nigeria’s continued development.
“Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu and others, including Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, Ms. Yemi Adamolekun and Mr. Seun Onigbinde, will further chronicle how June 12 was declared a public holiday by the Federal Government in honour of the memory of Moshood Abiola.”
The statement said that Sanwo-Olu would address the youths and explain to them how the present administration had ensured that none of the citizens’ rights was trampled upon.
According to the statement, the governor would explain what the administration had done in the last one year to ensure residents of Lagos got the dividends of democracy they agitated for while marching on the streets to demand for the return of civilian government over 20 years ago.
It added that the participants would also have the opportunity to ask questions that would possibly help prepare them for the future.
It said that the event would be held virtually via Zoom and streamlined across various internet platforms, to accommodate large number of attendees while remaining in compliance with government directives on social distancing.
June 12 is celebrated annually in some states to commemorate the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election
Late Chief MKO Abiola, was acclaimed to have won the election which was adjudged the freest and fairest of all elections held in Nigeria.
