It may seem too weird to be true, but it turned out that the main event to commemorate this year’s democracy day was the commissioning of his own portrait by President Bola Ahmad Tinubu.
Claimed to be the largest painted portrait of an individual in the world, the work of art was painted by a group of 37 artists, purportedly drawn from all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and unveiled at the Eagle Square, Abuja to Commemorate 25 years of uninterrupted civilian rule in Nigeria.
Upon commissioning, it was announced at the event, the portrait shall be taken for display at a public gallery at the nation’s capital, Abuja.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy underwent several fits and starts in its journey to civil rule due to frequent interruptions via military coups d’etat that topple such civilian governments.
The current effort at democratic governance is the longest in the country, having started in 1999 and running till date, uninterrupted.
Many however wonder why unveiling a large portrait of the president by the current government should be considered as the appropriate symbolism for this occasion.
Notable journalist and reknown columnist, Dr. Ruben Abati, and his colleague, Rufai Oseni, both anchors of the Morning Show on Arise TV could not help but wonder aloud whether Nigeria was still a democracy or a civilian dictatorship.
