An associate of former vice president Atiku Abubakar, Phrank Shaibu, has faulted the national honour bestowed on President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Shuaibu said Onanuga should wear a badge of betrayal, not honour.
According to him, Tinubu desecrated the memory of Kudirat Abiola, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and Alfred Rewane by conferring on Onanuga the honour of the Commander of the Niger, CON.
Onanuga was among the 31 people Tinubu conferred with national honours to mark this year’s Democracy Day.
However, Shaibu said Onanuga who was part of the media resistance during the June 12 struggle, no longer walk “the noble path”.
Posting on X, Shaibu wrote: “Dear Bayo, you may have been part of the media resistance during the June 12 struggle—through TheNews and Tempo. You stood against military tyranny and spoke truth to power. For that, history once reserved you a seat among the defenders of democracy.
“But today, you no longer walk that noble path. You now lend your voice, not to the people, but to a government whose actions echo the very oppression you once stood against.
“You defend policies that deepen poverty, excuse incompetence, and enable tyranny. You mock the anguish of Nigerians, rationalize their suffering, and spin propaganda for a regime that governs with impunity. That is not what June 12 was about.
“So I ask: do you truly deserve to be honored as a June 12 hero?
“June 12 was not just a date—it was a moral uprising. It was about the will of the people, the sacrifice of patriots, and the refusal to bow to authoritarianism. Those who deserve to wear its badge must live its values—not just during the struggle, but in the aftermath when power tempts and truth becomes inconvenient.
“Can a man who now defends oppression be counted among the oppressed? Can one who rationalizes injustice be celebrated on the altar of justice?
“To reward you with a CON under the banner of June 12 is to desecrate the memory of Kudirat Abiola, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Alfred Rewane, and the millions who yearned for a better Nigeria. You may have stood at the beginning of the fight, Bayo—but you have since crossed over to the other side.
“Honor is not just about where you stood in the past; it is about where you stand when it matters most. And today, you stand not with the people but against them.
“You should wear a badge of betrayal, not a national honor.”
Tinubu desecrated Kudirat Abiola’s memory with national honour on Onanuga – Phrank Shaibu
