Comrade Okon Osung: The Unsung Hero of June 12

The stakes were high, the country was on edge. June 12, 1993 election with all its hypes had just been conducted. The candidates were just two, Alhaji Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC) and Bashorun Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The umpire was the National Electoral Commission (NEC) as it was called then. Its Chairman was Prof. Humphrey Nwosu.

Before the election and in order to assure the country and international community of the free and fair conduct of the election, the then Head of State had by presidential directive set up what he called the Nigerian Election Monitoring Group (NEMG), through the Center for Democratic Studies, then headed by Late Prof. Omo Omoruyi. To assure the nation of the impartial nature of the group, the Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida was saddled with the onerous duty of appointing as its Chairman, a person of impeccable character whose sense of fairness cannot be compromised or impinge by anyone including the Head of State himself.

Comrade Okon Osung was by then the National Vice President of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ). He hails from the little obscure village of Ekim, Oduoti family of the legendary Ikpuk Isu dynasty. He was a no-nonsense, down to earth liberal socialist who imbibed the philosophies of Mao Zedong of China and Fidel Castro of Cuba. His early influence in life was his relative, the late renowned Professor Eskor Toyo of the Nigerian political left.

The searchlight for the right person was beamed across the length and breadth of Nigeria. Who will fit the criteria required for the job? Alhaji Sani Zoro who had the ears of the Head of State back then brought the virtues of this unsung hero to the attention of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. After the necessary security clearance was secretly obtained, Comrade Okon Osung’s name was presented to the Armed Forces Ruling Council for approval. The Center for Democratic Studies on the directive of the Head of State then announced Comrade Osung as the Chairman of the Nigerian Election Monitoring Group which mandate was to monitor and authenticate the results of the election before announcement by Prof. Humphrey Nwosu led National Electoral Commission.

Comrade Okon Osung who in 2018, was conferred with Ikpoto Oro, the highest chieftaincy title in Oro ethnic nationality is my brother in every ramification. We both were brought up by Jehovah’s Witness parents who imbibed in us the virtues of hardwork, fairness, discipline, justice, love, forgiveness, trustworthiness, loyalty, firmness, faith without hypocrisy, fearlessness, forthrightness, empathy, and above all, the fear of a supreme being who looks down and sees all that we do. Fortunately or unfortunately, Ikpoto Okon Osung deviated from following his parents’ religion and is now a member of ECKANKAR religion; a path of spiritual freedom.

Apart from coming from the same stock, we both grew up together and our path always crossed each other at every stage of our lives. When living in Calabar, Ikpoto Okon Osung’s residence at Ewa Nsa Street and his office at Cross River State Newspaper Corporation along Barracks Road were the center or rallying point for all progressive young men and women of not just Oro descent but, of Cross River and Akwa Ibom. As a socialist, he happily shared what he had with others. He loves giving, in fact, he is generous to a fault and, he is a born philanthropist. Ikpoto Okon Osung is a top grade organizer, a team player, shrewd political strategist and a consummate community servant who is ready to give all that he has for the benefit of his friends and associates. More importantly, he believes in friendship and does not betray trust under any circumstance. His greatest strength is his ability to forgive easily based on his personal creed that “where there’s a conflict between Right and Harmony, choose Harmony over Right.” Never mind his mien which is deceitful. Beneath it lies a gentle, loving, kind and compassionate personality.

Enough of the digression. Back to the theme of this discourse.

In the course of his assignment, NEMG had deployed election monitors to every polling units in the country with state coordinators appointed for the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. As such, he was in a position to know the outcome of the election before anyone else.

At the collation centre at NEC headquarters, state returning officers were making submissions of the presidential election in their states. On the high table were chairmen of NEC and NEMG, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria who was the head of foreign monitors, representatives of the security services in addition to local and foreign journalists.
The results of several States had been collated leaving a few others. Meanwhile Ikpoto Okon Osung was armed with the results of the entire country which showed that Chief MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party had won the election.

At this stage, the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) was meeting having been briefed through intelligence that MKO Abiola had won the election landslide. Midway to its meeting, words came to Prof. Humphrey Nwosu directing him to stop collation.

At this point Ikpoto Okon Osung sensing that the military were up to some mischief, quickly activated his journalistic contacts and arranged a World Press Conference in NEC conference room where he bravely announced to the world that late Chief MKO Abiola, the flag bearer of the Social Democratic Party had won the election conducted in every State of the federation including Kano the home state of Alhaji Ibrahim Tofa of the National Republican Convention urging NEC to declare Bashorun MKO Abiola duely elected.

Thereafter, the AFRC nullified the results of the election and Ikpoto Okon Osung was declared wanted. No one knows till today how Ikpoto Okon Osung escaped from his hotel room and from Abuja, a fact he has kept close to his chest till today.

Considering the tension which had engulfed the country then and, the fact that if Ikpoto Okon Osung had agreed to play along with the military and other reactionary forces back then, there is no earthly lust or lucre which his compliance would not have brought him, but he ignored all of that and went ahead to stand or identify with the people. Chief Okon Osung had just Volkswagen Beetle car when he assumed office as the Chairman of the Nigerian Election Monitoring Group. He was assigned many modern vehicles and latest electronic gadgets to carry out his assignment. A well furnished office with a good apartment to stay and security details for his protection. He as well managed a goodly budget. He left all of that and came back penniless. I am not even sure he had collected even a month of his honorarium. Ikpoto Okon Osung is truly the unsung hero of June 12.

In 2018, the incumbent President of Nigeria during the Independence celebration decided to honour the heroes of June 12 which included Chief MKO Abiola post humously, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, Mrs. Kudirat Abiola, Ambassador Kingibe and some others. Ikpoto Okon Osung’s name was conspicuously left out.

One will want to know why? Is it because he comes from the obscure section of this country? Is it because he dared the military and announced the results of the June 12 Presidential election which the military were about to annul? Or is it because his role in the said election had not been brought to the attention of Mr. President and other officials administration who have the ears of the President?

One thing is sure, until the nation and especially the beneficiaries of this democratic experiments recognize and appreciate the contributions of Nigerian Election Monitoring Group and this unsung hero of June 12, the SOUL of June 12 shall never be laid to rest.

Congratulations Comrade. You are indeed, a Great Pillar of Democracy.

Effiong Oquong, Esq writes from Oron in Akwa Ibom State.

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