Fayemi Recalls Radio Kudirat Risks, Says Activists Were Lucky to Survive

Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has stated that Nigeria, despite returning to civilian rule in 1999, still falls short of achieving true democracy. Speaking during Channels Television’s June 12 special titled “Nigeria’s Democratic Journey: An Inter-Generational Conversation On Building A Better Nation”, Fayemi said the right to vote has been restored, but the core elements of democracy remain lacking.

“What we mustn’t do is conflate elections with democracy,” Fayemi warned. “We got the vote in 1999, but we haven’t secured real democracy yet. What we have is civilian rule — a semi-democracy, not the full ideal.”

Reflecting on his role in the democracy struggle, Fayemi spoke about his involvement with the underground Radio Kudirat, which broadcasted pro-democracy messages during the repressive Abacha regime. He revealed the risks taken to operate the station, recalling how he once smuggled transmitters on an Air France flight that rerouted to Lagos during a peak crisis period.

“I could’ve been picked up and disappeared like so many others. We didn’t see ourselves as brave — just determined to do what was right,” he said, adding that survival was largely a matter of luck.

Fayemi applauded President Bola Tinubu for awarding national honours to some pro-democracy figures but emphasized the need to recognize more unsung heroes, including the operators of Radio Kudirat.