By Comfort Obi
Professor Humphrey Nwosu, will, finally, go back to mother-earth on Friday, March 28, 2025. On that day, he will finally find peace and satisfaction which his country, Nigeria, denied him while alive. And that, inspite of his selfless sacrifices for it.
On that day, Nwosu will, finally, find that peace, denied him by his country when his body embraces the bosom of his beloved Ajalli, Orumba North Local Government Area Anambra State, to meet his Ancestors who must be proud of his sojourn on Earth. They will tell him: “Great son of ours, you have done well. You did well for your country. And we are proud of you”.
It was the erudite and urbane and calm and unassuming Nwosu, a Professor of Political Science who oversaw the June 12, 1993, Presidential Election adjudged by Nigerians and the International Community as the freest and fairest election ever conducted in Nigeria, a Country which every of its election is covered by corruption as water covers the sea. Nwosu was the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission 1989 – 1993 when he was unceremoniously kicked out for conducting a free Presidential Election.
That election, held after years of Military Rule was meant to usher Nigeria into the circle of decent Nations, governed by civilians, law and order. It was between Chief Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention, NRC. The two political parties were created by the Military Regime of President Ibrahim Babangida. He had dubbed one a little to the right, and the other, a little to the left.
When Nwosu was appointed the Chairman of the Electoral Body to birth Nigeria into the world of democracy by Babangida, it was a job he took seriously. It was a job he gave his all, and inspite of all the dribbles and obstacles, did a good job.
The SDP Candidate, Chief Abiola, was clearly, undisputably, in the lead. There was nothing to stop his victory lap, and that of Professor Nwosu – Abiola’s for his overwhelming victory, and Nwosu’s for delivering a perfect baby.
But just when Nwosu, all smiles, was ready to name the baby he had just delivered, the smile was brutally wiped off his face. The baby was snatched from him and killed. It was camouflaged like a still birth. But no. The baby had already been seen alive by most Nigerians. They were celebrating, already, a new dawn. But, the Military Regime, led by Babangida, inexplicably, annulled the election. Nwosu was left empty and broken.
It is not known whether Professor Nwosu ever recovered from that brutal smack on his face and reputation. An undeserved question mark had been put on his credibility. And capacity. He withdrew into his shell. He never granted any major interview to discuss June 12; the pressure he underwent; the trauma he went through; the threats he endured. He never let on.
In those very fluid days, between June 12 and the day the Election was, finally, annulled, he never discussed where he was. Was he under house arrest? Was he surrounded by trigger-happy soldiers? Was a gun, or guns, pointed at him with a threat not to make “pim” or …? Anything could have happened. What was going on inside his head? Was he afraid? Did he fear for his life, that perhaps, he could be wasted just like that by an unappreciative Country and people? What were his regrets? Did he feel betrayed by Babangida, the man who appointed him? Did he feel abandoned? Did Babangida call him to apologize or explain what happened? Was he thinking of his time, years, now wasted, and the trillions of Naira gone down the drain.?
With Professor Nwosu’s passing on 24th October, 2024, in the United States of America, a good chunk, indeed, what could have been the most authentic June 12 story is gone. For, the Professor never wrote a book to tell his story. Nigerians have been denied of all that by his passing. Now, who will tell his story?
The only time Nwosu told his story, briefly was in an interview he granted in the US. He revealed how he was summoned by the National Security and Defence Council to talk about June 12. Those present – Sani Abacha, David Mark, Aliyu Gusau, Clement Akpamgbo and more. He told there was nothing much they could as all the results had been collated except that of Taraba State which just arrived; how he told them to allow him announce the Winner, Abiola; how he asked them to call Abiola and Tofa together and discuss with them; and how Abacha shut him up and asked him: “Who are you to tell us what to do?”
Not much. He didn’t tell the story of his trauma, his humiliation.
The question one has been asking since February 20 when Babangida presented his own side of June 12 story in his autobiography – A Journey In Service – is: What could have been Nwosu’s response to Babangida’s tale? Babangida’s book was sadly presented behind Nwosu, as it was behind a whole number of those who played prominent roles in that very dark phase of Nigeria’s history. Most of them are gone. They left the world in silence as if their mouths were celotaped. The only real main character remaining is Babangida. That irks.
But perhaps, what irks most is that Professor Nwosu was not alive to hear Babangida validate the June 12 Election. He was not alive to hear Babangida say “Yes, Professor Nwosu was right, I was wrong; that the election was clean; that Nwosu did a good job, and I was the one, along with my colleagues, especially, the goggled one, who rubbished it, and took Nigerians on an endless journey. Sad.
Yet, the worst is that Professor Nwosu is going home unsung, unappreciated, uncelebrated by a Country he gave his all. Nobody has recognized him. Nobody is even remembering him. No National Honour has been bestowed on him. No National monument has been named after him. None. Why?
On the day Babangida presented his book, I never heard any speaker pay glowing tributes to Professor Nwosu. I never heard any talk about Nwosu’s pains and sacrifices. And resilience. Just as I never heard any of them pay tributes to the hundreds of Nigerians who lost their lives over that scandalous incident.
And, unless I missed it, when he died, I never read any letter of condolence to his family from the Federal Government. In the preparation for his final send- off from mother-earth, I have not heard of any contributions made by the Federal Government of Nigeria. What role is the FG playing for a man who offered us the democracy we are enjoying today? Is he being given a state burial? Will the Nigerian flag adorn his casket?
From the programme of events released by the Family, not by the Federal Government, or in conjunction with the Federal Government, the closest I saw of Nigeria’s involvement is a Service of Songs for him which will be held at the Nigerian Embassy, Washington on March 1. Will the Federal Government be represented? There is no Ambassador at the Nigerian Embassy yet. So, who? There will, also, be a Night of Tributes at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja on March 28. Who is organizing that? The Federal Government or friends and family?
Yet, as the saying goes, it is better late than the late. Any time one wakes up, it is, also said, is one’s morning. The Federal Government still has a chance to redeem itself. Nigeria still has a chance to celebrate its son who is the architect, the hero of the democracy we are enjoying today, no matter how weak, and disjointed and corrupted it is. It is still better than a Military Regime.
On March 28, the day Professor Nwosu will be interred, the FG should honour him by naming a National Monument after him.
Professor Nwosu died at the age of 83 years.
May his great and patriotic soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.
Obi is the Editor-in-Chief/CEO of The Source (Magazine), https://thesourceng.com. Email: [email protected], [email protected]
