Phrank Shaibu, an associate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu for conferring the Commander of the Niger (CON) national honour on Bayo Onanuga, the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.
Shaibu claimed that by honoring Onanuga, Tinubu has desecrated the memory of prominent June 12 struggle figures including Kudirat Abiola, Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, and Alfred Rewane.
Onanuga was among 31 individuals who received national honours from President Tinubu during this year's Democracy Day celebrations on June 12.
"Badge of Betrayal, Not Honour"
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Shaibu acknowledged Onanuga's past contributions to the pro-democracy movement through his work with TheNews and Tempo magazines during the June 12 struggle, but accused him of abandoning those principles.
"Dear Bayo, you may have been part of the media resistance during the June 12 struggle—through TheNews and Tempo. You stood against military tyranny and spoke truth to power. For that, history once reserved you a seat among the defenders of democracy," Shaibu wrote.
"But today, you no longer walk that noble path. You now lend your voice, not to the people, but to a government whose actions echo the very oppression you once stood against," he continued.
Shaibu further alleged that Onanuga now defends policies that "deepen poverty, excuse incompetence, and enable tyranny" while mocking "the anguish of Nigerians" and rationalizing "their suffering."
Questioning the Award's Merit
The statement questioned whether Onanuga truly deserves to be honored as a June 12 hero, describing the historic date as "a moral uprising" about "the will of the people, the sacrifice of patriots, and the refusal to bow to authoritarianism."
"Can a man who now defends oppression be counted among the oppressed? Can one who rationalizes injustice be celebrated on the altar of justice?" Shaibu asked rhetorically.
"To reward you with a CON under the banner of June 12 is to desecrate the memory of Kudirat Abiola, Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, Alfred Rewane, and the millions who yearned for a better Nigeria. You may have stood at the beginning of the fight, Bayo—but you have since crossed over to the other side," he added.
Shaibu concluded his statement by asserting that Onanuga "should wear a badge of betrayal, not a national honor."
As of the time of this report, neither Onanuga nor the presidency has responded to Shaibu's criticisms.
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