Human rights activist and President of Women Arise and Center for Change, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, celebrated the late Kudirat Abiola, 26 years after the latter’s assassination.

Kudirat was the wife of philanthropist and acclaimed winner of the 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, who also suffered the same fate of assassination in 1998.

Odumakin described Kudirat Abiola as a heroine who stood for truth, justice and died for human dignity.

In a statement on Saturday, the activist said there was a need to remind young people of the struggles of past heroes, especially now that the country was plagued by the scourges of corruption, electoral fraud, insecurity and of the collapse of the economy.

Odumakin explained that the problems in the country were caused by a primitive leadership pay system deliberately established and maintained to keep the country impoverished for the benefit of political brigands.

She said: “Nat King Cole sang ‘Unforgettable’…he didn’t have Alhaja Kudirat Abiola in mind, but he did. Our heroine is in every way unforgettable, 26 years later. She was murdered June 4, 1996 by the Sani Abacha junta.

“It’s chilling your blood today that Abacha’s son is about to become state governor… Look, for 26 years, the road and the jungle have been intertwined.

“We need to tell our children about our past. Our fights and our fighters. We need to pierce the virtue of an uncommon Amazon into their consciousness.

“This Kudirat, a woman endowed with inner and outer beauty, fought for love, fought for principle and died for human dignity.

“As they buy and sell delegates like Rago today, Kudirat dismissed voter fraud. She rejected cheating and insisted that 14 million voters do good. As there was Arthur Nzeribe at that time (may God rest his soul) and a Kanu.

“There were Kudirat and many brave humans who said NO. We had to answer a recurring question every year we celebrate Kudirat… what has changed? I don’t think anything has changed, but everything has gotten worse.

“Murders and kidnappings. Corruption, electoral fraud, societal decadence. Collapsed systems… security, education, health, economy… These problems are brought to us by a primitive system of leadership treatment deliberately established and maintained to keep this place impoverished for the benefit of political brigands.

“If what we’ve seen so far in political party primaries is clear, then we’re fooling ourselves into harboring all kinds of positive expectations. However, we must not lose hope. We need to “bug the arrogance” of our children…tell them that it’s okay to straighten their shoulders.

“They have a rich history in the Amazons like Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, Nwayeruwa, Pele Wura, Kudirat Abiola and many others far too many to mention. Their lives tell us that we are much better than that. As we celebrate Kudirat Abiola again today, for giving us everything, we must now turn our attention away from the deaf generation.

“We still have to look to the young people with ears…we have to talk about Kudirat and the many giants who have chosen higher ground above this mud. Maybe by doing this we could, maybe save tomorrow before today is wasted. Farewell Kudirat Abiola. Rest in a rich memory.