Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the former governor of Ekiti State, sparked controversy by expressing his disappointment over the exclusion of Radio Kudirat operators from President Bola Tinubu’s list of national honours. Speaking on a special Channels Television programme titled “Nigeria’s Democratic Journey: An Inter-Generational Conversation on Building a Better Nation,” Fayemi noted that while Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999, it has yet to achieve full democracy.

Fayemi, a key figure in the pro-democracy struggle against military rule, recounted how he operated Radio Kudirat to broadcast anti-regime messages during the era of late military ruler General Sani Abacha. He emphasised the risks they took at that time, smuggling transmitters and operating the station under the constant threat of arrest or assassination.

“I carried the transmitters of Radio Kudirat on an Air France flight that was destined for Cotonou but diverted to Lagos during the height of the crisis,” he recalled. “I could have been picked up and become history—like many who never returned,” Fayemi said their actions were not born out of recklessness but a deep conviction to fight for justice and democratic freedoms.

Dr Fayemi merely scratched the surface of the matter as the list reeled out by President Tinubu was neither exhaustive nor did it reflect gender balance, as many women who have participated in enshrining democratic rule, risking their lives, were conspicuously missing.

Who Are Unsung Heroes?
An “unsung hero” is a hero who does valuable, often challenging work without receiving recognition or praise for their contributions. “Unsung heroes” make a significant impact but go largely unnoticed, with their efforts sometimes taken for granted. Unsung heroes are individuals who go above and beyond in their efforts without expecting any accolades.

The list of unsung heroes of Nigeria’s democracy, and especially on June 12, is long, and it is quite surprising that the President’s speech could have missed out on some of those names. The story of the June 12 struggle and the restoration of democracy in Nigeria will be incomplete without mentioning some of these heroes’ names and the different roles they played.

The NIAMEY 5
On Monday, 25 October 1993, Nigeria Airways Flight 470, flying from Lagos to Abuja, was hijacked by four teenagers aged 16 to 18. The hijackers had intended to divert the aircraft to Frankfurt, Germany. However, the plane was required to stop for refuelling in Niamey, Niger Republic. Upon landing at the Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, the hijackers declared that the flight had been taken over by the “Movement for the Advancement of Democracy in Nigeria.”

The unsung heroes in that story are Richard Ogunderu, Kabir Adenuga, Benneth Oluwadaisi, and Kenny Rasaq-Lawal. They had boarded the flight, originally intended to transport top government officials from Lagos to Abuja. They did this to protest the unjust and illegal annulment of the June 12, 1993, election on June 23, when Chief MKO Abiola was coasting home to victory. The Criminal Court in Niamey jailed them each for ten years. The fifth person, Malam Jerry Yusuf, was discharged because he was not caught with the hijackers in Niamey but arrested in Nigeria and taken to Niamey for trial.

Chief Gani Fawehinmi
It’s on record that Chief Gani Fawehinmi led several protests against the military rule to advance the cause of democracy in Nigeria. A protest led by Gani Fawehinmi on Friday, June 12, 1998, was disrupted by the police & military. It almost turned bloody. When the military banned political parties, Chief Fawehinmi, in defiance, formed and operated the National Conscience Party of Nigeria. Curiously, President Tinubu was unable to confer a posthumous national honour on Chief Fawehinmi. There was no love lost between the two in his lifetime.

The Hope family group
Members of the Hope Family group were successful businessmen, professionals, and entrepreneurs who silently worked for the Yoruba cause. It was in their name that Chief Abiola got the theme for his Hope 93 campaign. They worked behind the scenes to market Chief Abiola. Members included Chief Supo Adetona, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, Chief Akin Dada, Senator Olayinka Omilani, and so on.

Journalists and the Media Houses
Journalists and media workers in the newspaper houses shut down by the government—The Guardian, Punch, and Concord newspapers were forgotten in the President’s long list. Many of them were out of jobs for years, and some, especially in the Concord Press, lost their lives while awaiting the return of Chief Abiola, who later died in Abacha’s detention.

Other Notable Unsung Heroes
Prof. Claude Ake, Chief Dele Momodu, Prof. Jadesola Akande, Mrs Priscillia Kuye, former NBA President Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, Comrade Ola Oni, Admiral Dan Suleiman, Dr. Sola Omatsola, Dr Keziah Awosika, the Odumakins, Chief GOK Ajayi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Barrister Segun Sango and members of the Democratic Socialist Movement who mobilised and participated in every demonstration against military rule and for the June 12 struggle, Omoyele Sowore, and others. Prof. Jadesola Akande was a respected voice that stood out during the June 12 struggle.

It is expected that the government would make amends and not play politics with such an issue of national importance.