Memories Of June 12 BY EKENEOBONG BASSEY

Memories are like golds which does not fade in the minds of the living. While memories of good events enlarges the cheeks with waves of smiles, memories of unpleasant events glitters the face with springs of tears.

A reminisce on events that usually occur on the 12th day of June has left a lingering memory of doom and calamity in the minds of it's victims. When june 12 approaches, some families, organisations, and even the nation commemorate injustice and the loss of people so dear to them who were victims of june 12. What makes this day infamouse and different from other days for Nigerians and the world is worthy of examination.

A close study of trends of events associated with june 12 in Nigeria and the world has left no doubt that, that date is a special one. In 1993, a significant event took place in Nigeria which shook the country and the international community. It concurred precisly on june 12 1993 when Moshood Abiola's victorious presidential election was annulled. This election is considered by political analyst as the freest and fairest election ever conducted in the history of Nigeria.

With Abiola winning in his northern opponent states, the nations capital Abuja, the military polling stations and two third of Nigerian states and obtaining the nations mandate at a time when the country's political landscape was flourished by northers,is worthy of commendation. However the election was annulled by Ibrahim Babangida the then military head of state. This threw the country into a tumult, as a result about 100 people lost thier lives. According to Babangida,
when he spoke on the hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC) he stated that he did not annull the election butcancelled it because of the prevailing circumstance them.

Meanwhile, in Akwa ibom stata especially the university of uyo community, june 12 2013 has remain a date to remember by turskites.

This dates has become a nightmare to them as it reminds them of their colleques, who lost thier lives in a peaceful demonstration over the introduction of a new fare regime for the engineering and science students from town campus to the main campus at Nwangiba. The school authorities failed to address the protesting student and the situation get rowdy when the police intervene with tear gas and sporadic shooting to dismiss the students. This led to the dead of four students. As a vendetta, the vice chancellor's office and the record store was set ablaze by students. In a chat with Akanimo ekong a 300 level student of micro biology on the memories of june 12 riot, he said, "june 12 is a date i will never forget as a student, it was a day i lost my friend and brother kingsley fondly call kezy, I was arrested when police besiged the male hostel at udi street and detained for months...infact, that day is a nightmare to me".

June 12 has not only tormented Nigerians alone but has also tormented the world. It was on june 12 1964 that the late freedom fighter and anti-apartheid icon Nelson mandela was sentenced life imprisonment for sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government.

He was however released in 1990. Also, on june 12 1991, there was a massacre on civilians in a little village of kokkadichcholai in sri lanka which led to the dead of 152 civilians following a landmind attack on sri lankan soldiers.

  With the above events in review, it has shown that june 12 has brought sorrow to Nigerians and the world, on the constary, June 12, 2014 has brought smiles in the faces of nigerians and the world at large. It is the date the whole world unites in happiness to celebrate the commencement of the most exiting event in the world. The 2014 FIFA world cup commenced on 12th day of june with 32 teams in participation. Nigeria is among the four African representative at the tournament. With the spirit of happiness brought about by football, let us hope that Nigerians will sit at the comfort of their homes and enjoy the game and erase the sad memories of june 12 and expects better events from june12 in the future.