Some heroic moments in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic

Since 1999, many Nigerians in various fields of human endeavour have distinguished themselves and exhibited some behaviour that have not only received accolades but also considered heroic by fellow citizens. Some of these heroic moments that have deepened democracy and stabilised the polity have been demonstrated by both public officials and private individuals across the […]

Since 1999, many Nigerians in various fields of human endeavour have distinguished themselves and exhibited some behaviour that have not only received accolades but also considered heroic by fellow citizens. Some of these heroic moments that have deepened democracy and stabilised the polity have been demonstrated by both public officials and private individuals across the country. 

This includes the action of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who probably the first time in Nigeria’s history admitted publicly that that the election that brought him to power in 2007 was “flawed”, the role played by the late  Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh and her team at the First Consultants Hospital in Lagos in containing the spread of the Ebola virus disease in Nigeria, and the uncommon decision of former President Goodluck Jonathan to call and congratulate the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, conceding defeat in the 2015 presidential election.

 The Yar’Adua’s rare admission of errors in 2007 poll 

The late President Yar’Adua was widely lauded by various groups, including civil society organisations, political figures, and the media, for his decision to establish the 22-man Electoral Reform Committee (ERC), popularly known as the Uwais Committee.

The decision was seen as a bold and necessary step toward addressing Nigeria’s long history of flawed elections and deepening its democracy. 

Yar’Adua, in his May 29, 2007 inauguration speech, publicly acknowledged that the election which brought him to power had “shortcomings,” an act of rare honesty that earned him significant goodwill.

The committee, chaired by former Chief Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais, was tasked with recommending ways to ensure fairness, justice, and credibility in the Nigerian electoral process.

The committee was composed of eminent Nigerians from various professional groups and civil society organizations, deliberately excluding active politicians to ensure impartiality.

The Uwais committee submitted a comprehensive report in December 2008 with far-reaching recommendations, including ceding the power to appoint the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the National Judicial Council (NJC) to ensure its independence. While the Yar’Adua administration accepted over 90% of the recommendations, the government’s subsequent White Paper rejected some of the most critical proposals, sparking some controversy and disappointment.

Despite the incomplete implementation, many of the committee’s recommendations were incorporated into the 2010 Electoral Act and subsequent constitutional amendments, and the report continues to serve as a benchmark for ongoing discussions on electoral reform in Nigeria.

The late Yar’Adua was declared the winner of the presidential election on 21 April 2007. He polled 24,638,063 votes, Buhari of the ANPP polled 6,605,299, Atiku Abubakar of AC 2,637,848 votes; Orji Uzor Kalu (PPA) 608,803; Attahiru Bafarawa (DPP) 289,224 and Odumegwu Ojukwu (APGA) 155,947.

Election observers from the European Union described the election as “the worst they had ever seen anywhere in the world”, with “rampant vote rigging, violence, theft of ballot boxes and intimidation.”

Yar’Adua demonstrated strong commitment to democracy – Barr. Festus Okoye 

In an interview with Daily Trust, member, Electoral Reform Committee and former National Commissioner, INEC, Barr. Festus Okoye, said the late President Yar’Adua demonstrated a strong commitment to democracy.

Okoye added that he (Yar’Adua) prioritised the preservation of democracy and the integrity of our electoral system over his own ambitions and those of his political party.

He recalled that on 28 August 2007, the late former president directed the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) to ‘examine the entire electoral process with a view to ensuring that we raise the quality and standard of our general elections and thereby deepen democracy’.

Okoye said unfortunately, some of his ambitious colleagues hampered the proper implementation of the Committee’s report.

“The initial report from the White Paper Committee introduced significant improvements. However, another White Paper Committee was later established to review the original report. Some politicians feared that enforcing the Report would jeopardise their political careers, and they ensured it remained in the archives,” he said when asked about he would evaluate such actions from a Nigerian politician.

On lessons that Nigerian politicians and citizens alike can learn from the Yar’Adua action, he said the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua prioritised Nigeria and believed that the survival of multiparty democracy is essential for the growth of the electoral process.

Okoye said the deceased argued that strong institutions would strengthen our democracy, and the electoral management body is one of those institutions.

“Some of those in leadership today do not believe in democracy and lack the democratic spirit. They seek to ‘capture power’ for personal gain rather than serve the people. Some are comfortable with both democracy and military regimes and can operate under either.

“They should, like the late President, trust the people’s power and rationality to make informed choices. Politicians and political parties must deliver good governance and trust the people as the repository of electoral power,” he added.

On the Uwais team, Okoye said the report of the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) continues to set a standard for electoral reforms in Nigeria.

He said the report remains relevant, current, and pertinent, and its recommendations are still important 19 years later, stating that some suggestions from the Electoral Reform Committee, especially those favouring administrative changes, have been implemented by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

He added that others with constitutional and legal implications have also been enacted.

However, he noted that the core of the recommendations focused on the behaviour of the political elite and the need to unbundle INEC to ensure effective performance.

He said, “Following its establishment and inauguration on 28 August 2007, the Committee consulted with individuals, organisations, and governments. It sought and received a total of 1466 memoranda from the general public. The Committee also conducted public hearings in two capital cities within each of the six geo-political zones and the Federal Capital Territory, during which a total of 907 submissions were made. The Committee engaged with former Heads of State and Presidents to benefit from their extensive experience in election matters.

“Furthermore, the Committee engaged with other stakeholders, including state governments, political parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), security agencies, civil society groups, women’s organisations, the media, and the general public.

“Subsequently, the Committee made appropriate recommendations to tackle issues related to the composition, administrative independence, and funding of electoral commissions. The Committee also suggested measures to improve the performance of various institutions and stakeholders involved in the electoral process. These include the Legislature, Judiciary, Executive, Political Parties, Security Agencies, Civil Society Organisations, media, and the citizens. The Committee found that election attitudes are a crucial factor influencing the success of electoral practices, and observed that Nigerians’ election attitudes are not only predominantly negative but also largely irrational. Therefore, it made specific recommendations to change Nigerians’ election attitudes to reduce violence and rigging, and to foster enduring democratic institutions and culture.

“The Committee clarified that some recommendations in the Report require revisions to existing electoral procedures, redistributions of electoral functions, or the creation of new institutions. When such changes involve new legislation or amendments to current laws, the Committee prepared appropriate draft legislation to support and expedite the implementation process. The drafts, which were attached to the Main Report, include the following: 1. Draft of a Bill for an Act to Amend the Constitution of the Federation Republic of Nigeria, 1999;  2. Draft of a Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act, 2006; and  3. Draft of a Bill to Establish the Electoral Offences Commission.

“Various administrations have established other Committees, Panels, and Commissions following the Report of the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) (2007-2008). These include the Federal Government Investigation Panel on the 2011 Election Violence and Civil Disturbances; the National Conference 2014; and the Constitution and Electoral Reform Committee (CERC) 2016. These Committees, Panels, and Commissions either affirmed or proposed minor modifications to the ERC Report based on current realities and advancements in science and technology.”

Also speaking, another member of ERC, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) said what the late President Yar’Adua set as a good leadership example was not sustained.

He said democracy is a very fragile issue here and that it will only be meaningful when it is based on a system of enlightened voters.

He, however, said Nigerians are not a very enlightened voters because of the years and decades of impoverishment by the political elite, a very poorly educated voting class that results to vote buying.

 He said, “When people who seek political office realise that there is no accountability, then they do not perform; there is no onus to perform.

“Unfortunately, in the last 20 years, the democracy expectation has been extremely poor. It would have gone a lot further if we have a very enlightened voting class. And I don’t know what it takes for Nigerians to speak out.

“So, there is a huge gap between the expectations of the people and what the political class is offering. This is why the name of the game is decamping from one party or the other and nobody bothers. It is as if the politicians are in space and so they are far away from us. There is no question about how are the people faring or whether they approve of the defections.

“So, in summary, we have not done well.”

 Jonathan’s golden congratulatory call to Buhari

One unique action that stood out in 2015 was the swift concession of victory to the presidential candidate of the then opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), retired General Muhammadu Buhari, by the then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and candidate of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after a keenly contested election.

Buhari defeated the sitting president after garnering a total vote of 15, 427, 943 according to results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). President Jonathan polled 12, 853, 162 leaving a difference of 2, 574, 781. Both scored the constitutionally required one-third votes in 25 states but Buhari scored the majority vote to clinch victory in what is historically the first time an opposition party will defeat an incumbent president in the country. Buhari who hails from Katsina State, North-West, won most of the states in the North and all the South West states except Ekiti.

Before the outcome of the election, which saw Jonathan calling Buhari to congratulate him on his victory, the political atmosphere had been charged. The country has been deeply divided along ethnic and religious line from the North to the South. The political environment witnessed intense campaigns of calumny. There are fears of possible violence before the Otuoke-born politician from Bayelsa State conceded defeat. This singular action calmed the frayed nerves across the country amid the drama at the collation centre in Abuja.

On March 31, during the presidential election collation at the International Conference Centre, the proceedings were dramatically interrupted by officials of the PDP. Led by former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, the group accused the then-INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, of practicing blatant bias.

As it became increasingly clear that President Jonathan was trailing in the polls, Orubebe seized the microphone, stalling the exercise for several minutes. He launched a heated verbal attack against Jega, claiming the Chairman was quick to address complaints from the opposition APC while systematically ignoring those filed by the PDP. He demanded an immediate halt to the announcement of results.

Throughout the outburst, Professor Jega became a symbol of composure. Despite the public fuming and disruptions, he maintained an ‘unusual calm,’ eventually responding by patiently explaining the official protocols for filing electoral complaints to the Minister.

The INEC is yet to declare Buhari winner because it is still expecting results from Borno State when Jonathan telephoned his successor to concede defeat.

“The President called General Buhari at 5: 05 pm this evening to congratulate him for emerging victorious,” the then spokesperson of the APC, Lai Mohammed, told reporters in Abuja on March 31, 2015, lauding the president for “that singular act”.

Delivering a paper titled, “Conscience Based Leadership: The Secret to Global Peace and Security” at the World Peace Summit in 2017 in Malaysia, Jonathan disclosed what influenced his decision to concede the 2015 presidential election to his successor.

The former president, who said his decision to concede defeat to Buhari was informed by the fact that he was “inspired to lead by his conscience”, recalled how he once declared that his “political ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigeria.”

Jonathan said, “Since you specifically invited me to share my experience as a political leader and President, with the forum, I will, therefore, like to mention some of the things I did in office, to build a peaceful society.

“I can confidently say that in all my public life, I was inspired to lead by conscience. This is in agreement with my personal philosophy which I first proclaimed while running for the office of the Governor of my home state Bayelsa in 2006, and re-echoed when I ran for the office of the President of Nigeria in 2011 and 2015.

“Then, I made it clear that my political ambition is not worth the blood of anybody. Ever since I said that in November of 2006 in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State, I have always lived by it. This philosophy informed my decision to concede the 2015 Presidential election, even while the results were still being collated.”

Former President Jonathan has received multiple awards for his decision to concede defeat in the 2015 general election, a historic act that ensured a peaceful transfer of power. He has been praised globally for prioritising national peace over personal ambition.

Adadevoh sacrificed her life to save Nigerians from Ebola

 Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh (1956-2014) is remembered as a national heroine who sacrificed her life to protect millions. When Patrick Sawyerr, Nigeria’s first Ebola patient, arrived from Liberia claiming to have malaria, Dr. Adadevoh relied on her medical intuition to suspect otherwise. Despite never having encountered Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF) before, she correctly diagnosed the virus and refused to let the patient leave the hospital despite intense governmental pressure to release him.

When Sawyerr attempted to bypass quarantine to attend an ECOWAS meeting, Adadevoh took the extraordinary step of physically restraining him. This brave act of defiance prevented a catastrophic outbreak in a nation of 170 million people. Although her direct contact with the patient led to her own infection and untimely death, her decisive actions “arrested” the virus at its source, sparing Nigeria from a public health disaster.

On Monday, October 20, 2014, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Nigeria officially free of the Ebola virus disease after six weeks passed without recording any new case.

The declaration by WHO representative, Rui Gama Vaz, in Abuja came 42 days after the last person in possible contact with the virus was taken off observation and three months after the virus was brought into Nigeria by the Liberian American, Sawyer.

Nineteen people were infected with the virus in Nigeria before it was contained. The Liberian brought the disease to the country in July, 2014.  Mr Sawyer, the Liberian, died of the disease, followed by seven Nigerians, including Dr Adadevoh, who diagnosed Mr Sawyer and was credited with helping to contain the outbreak at its source. 11 people were successfully treated without use of experimental drugs.

It was the first time Ebola hit an urban centre like Lagos, with a population exceeding those of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, amidst fears of spreading to millions.

Former Information Minister Labaran Maku called Nigeria’s success against Ebola “heart-warming.”

The spread through the largest population in Africa has been avoided through swift response after Nigeria declared a national public health emergency.

Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh has received numerous posthumous awards for her heroic role in curbing Nigeria’s 2014 Ebola outbreak, notably the Officer of the Order of Niger (OON) from Nigeria in 2022 and the ECOWAS Award of Excellence in 2019, recognising her selfless service in preventing widespread transmission. She also received other honours like the National Productivity Order of Merit and honorary doctorates, solidifying her legacy as a national hero.

Professor Dora Akunyili’s heroic fight against fake drugs 

Professor Dora Nkem Akunyili stands as one of the most courageous figures of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic. As the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) from 2001 to 2008, she transformed the agency into a formidable force against the deadly trade of counterfeit pharmaceuticals.

Akunyili’s campaign was fueled by a personal tragedy. In 1988, she witnessed the death of her 21-year-old sister, who had been administered fake insulin during routine diabetes treatment. This loss instilled in her a relentless determination to prevent other families from suffering similar fates.

Upon taking the helm at NAFDAC, Akunyili assembled a dedicated team—primarily composed of female pharmacists and inspectors—to declare war on “merchants of death.” Her tenure was marked by: 

Market Crackdowns: Shutting down notorious open-air medicine markets, including a major raid in Kano where £140,000 worth of counterfeit drugs were seized.

Public Awareness: Launching nationwide radio and television campaigns to educate citizens on identifying substandard drugs and reporting suspicious products.

Transparency: Regularly publishing lists of confirmed counterfeit brands in national newspapers. Hospital Oversight: In 2003, after the tragic deaths of four children at an Enugu hospital, she bypassed a potential cover-up to uncover fake adrenalin, muscle relaxants, and contaminated IV drips.

By June 2006, Akunyili’s efforts had secured 45 convictions with dozens more cases pending. Her work fundamentally shifted how Nigerian Customs monitored imports and significantly increased public vigilance.

However, her success came at a high personal cost. She and her family faced constant death threats. On December 26, 2003, she narrowly escaped an assassination attempt when gunmen fired on her convoy in Anambra State; a bullet famously pierced her headscarf, missing her by inches.

Beyond her role at NAFDAC, Akunyili served as the Minister of Information and Communications. Her contributions to pharmacology, public health, and human rights earned her numerous international awards and global recognition.

Professor Akunyili passed away on June 7, 2014, in India after a two-year battle with uterine cancer according to Wikipedia. Her funeral was attended by former presidents and dignitaries, reflecting the profound respect she commanded across the nation. She remains a symbol of integrity and the power of one individual to challenge systemic corruption.

 

Additional reports from Mohammed Ibrahim Yaba (Kaduna) and John Chuks Azu