By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – Former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has revisited the history of Radio Kudirat, the clandestine broadcasting platform established during Nigeria’s years of military dictatorship, describing it as part of the struggle to restore democratic rule in the country.
Fayemi, who made this known in a post on his X handle on Saturday, recalled how he and other pro-democracy activists came together more than three decades ago with the conviction that Nigerians deserved access to truthful information and a voice in the struggle against military rule.
According to him, what initially began as Radio Freedom later became Radio Kudirat, in honour of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, who was assassinated in 1996.
He said the broadcasting operation was run from exile, alongside Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka and other committed Nigerians, with the objective of providing independent news and sustaining resistance to military dictatorship.
“From exile, alongside Professor Wole Soyinka and many other committed colleagues, we built a clandestine broadcasting operation that carried independent news and the message of resistance into homes across Nigeria,” Fayemi said.
He noted that the risks involved in the operation were considerable, but the determination of the activists to restore democratic governance was even greater.
The former Minister of Mines and Steel Development disclosed that he recently revisited the period in an interview with Ọrẹ Ogunbiyi for The Economist’s Weekend Intelligence programme, which brought together some of those involved in making Radio Kudirat possible.
He said the programme tells a story that, despite its importance to Nigeria’s democratic history, has remained largely untold.
Reflecting on the country’s democratic journey 30 years after the period, the former governor said the return to civilian rule represented a significant victory, but stressed that the ideals that inspired the pro-democracy struggle had yet to be fully achieved.
According to him, the continued pursuit of accountable government, constitutional reform, social justice and genuine citizenship remains a work in progress.
“Thirty years on, the struggle also reminds us that democracy requires constant renewal,” Fayemi said.
He added that while the restoration of civilian rule was an important milestone, Nigerians must continue to work towards building a democratic system that delivers accountable governance and justice for citizens.
Fayemi encouraged Nigerians interested in the country’s pro-democracy history to listen to the Economist programme titled “Radio Kudirat: The untold story of Nigeria’s defiant voice of democracy.”
Precise Post recalls that Fayemi revisited this struggle issue against the backdrop of visible misgovernance, denial and none adherence to democratic ethoes pavading the polity in Nigeria.
