The Ogun State Government has declared June 12 a work-free day to enable residents of the state mark the Democracy Day and celebrate the recent conferment of a posthumous national honour on the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Moshood Abiola.
The secretary to the state government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, made this known in a statement on Saturday, adding that a befitting event, including a Democracy Walk to be led by the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun, have been lined up for the celebration.
He said the walk is scheduled to take off from the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta at 7am with participants going through major roads in the state capital to Abiola’s family house at Oke-Ido, Gbagura, where prayers will be offered for the martyr.
“It will be recalled that in the last seven years, the Amosun-led administration had consistently declared JUNE 12 work free and commemorated it with varied activities. This year will be no exception as befitting events including a Democracy Walk to be led by the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun have been lined up for the celebration.
“All Government functionaries, activists, civil society organizations, democracy volunteers, civil servants, labour/trade unions, students, market women/men and other stakeholders are invited to participate,” the statement highlighted.
The federal government had on June 6, conferred the highest national honours of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (GCFR), on the illustrious son of the state and declared June 12 as the country’s Democracy Day.