Tinubu finally honors June 12 heroes but the list raises eyebrows

President Bola Tinubu today conferred national honors on 50 Nigerians for their roles in the June 12 pro-democracy struggle, as part of the 2026 Democracy Day celebration. The list includes journalists, civil rights activists, political leaders, and even military officers. Among those recognized are Joe Igbokwe, Dele Alake, Olatunji Bello, Richard Akinnola, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, Chief Ayo Opadokun, Professor Sylvester Odion-Akhaine, and the late Dr Arthur Nwankwo.

Tinubu said, "June 12 occupies a sacred place in our national memory. It represents more than an election; it is a defining chapter in our story." He acknowledged that many award recipients endured persecution, imprisonment, exile, and other hardships. The president also created a category called "Soldier-Democrats" for military officers who fought against dictatorship, including Major-General Ishola Williams, Brigadier General Lawal Jaafaru Isa, Colonel Olusegun Oloruntoba, and Lieutenant Colonel Happy Kefas Bulus.

Now here is the thing that bothers me. After all these years, we are still playing politics with justice. The full list of categories and ranks of awards will only be released in the coming days, which means we cannot properly scrutinize who got what. Why can't the government be transparent from the start? And with all due respect, some names on that list will make many Nigerians question the criteria. Is this genuine recognition or political patronage dressed in national colors?