On that day, I was away in Vienna, Austria representing CHIEF MOSHOOD ABIOLA at the BRUNO KREISKY award for Human Rights, which was won by the irrepressible gadfly CHIEF ABDUL-GANIYU OYESOLA FAWEHINMI. The prestigious event held on June 11, 1993. I visited CHIEF ABIOLA on JUNE 9, at his Ikeja home on my way to the airport and he gave me a letter to be delivered to CHIEF GANI FAWEHINMI. I landed in Vienna on JUNE 10, and CHIEF FAWEHINMI was pleasantly surprised, and honored to see me just two days to JUNE 12. Such was the selflessness of CHIEF ABIOLA.
I departed Vienna to London on JUNE 12, from were I monitored events at home. On JUNE 13, I received news of CHIEF ABIOLA coasting home to ✌️ victory.
On JUNE 14, I called PRINCE NDUKA OBAIGBENA in Lagos and he told me he’s been trying to locate me because he wanted me to inform CHIEF ABIOLA about some ugly developments… Then, he dropped the bombshell: CHIEF ABIOLA WILL WIN BUT THE MILITARY WON’T ALLOW HIM TO TAKE POWER!!
It sounded too much like a joke. CHIEF FAWEHINMI arrived London that afternoon and I briefed him. He said it was impossible and we should get ready for a major battle…
We both departed London Gatwick on JUNE 16, and landed in Lagos to the warm embrace of exceptional Human Rights activists led by DR BEEKOLOLARI RANSOME KUTI and MR FEMI FALANA and others. It was the beginning of a Battle Royale.
