
The founder of the Oodua People’s Congress, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, says Nigeria needs people like him that will always tell the truth and ensure that the government of the day is always on its toes.
Fasehun said this while delivering a speech at the reception of his 80th birthday in Lagos on Monday.
The octogenarian, who is also the Chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria, narrated how he, alongside members of the National Democratic Coalition, fought for the enthronement of democracy during the military regime of the late maximum ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha.
Fasehun, who was imprisoned for 19 months (from December 1996 to June 1998) by Abacha, said without critics like him, Nigeria would not have attained democracy and greatness.
He said, “As we all know, the journey to democracy is usually not easy because human nature is more conditioned towards selfish autocracy and egotistical dictatorship. That is why agitators for democracy in any land have a lot to confront in persuading the powers that be to be their brothers’ keepers, instead of carrying on in the natural propensity of humans, such as subjugating the downtrodden, stamping upon the underprivileged, selfish building of dynasties and corrupt amassing of public resources.