LAGOS, Nigeria — June 12, 2025.
Under the sweltering Lagos sun, the crowd at Ikeja Under-Bridge began to swell with purpose. Men and women—young and old—clutched handwritten placards, their voices rising above the hum of city life. They had come not for celebration, but for protest. It was Democracy Day, a day meant to honour Nigeria’s long walk to civilian rule, but for many, it felt like just another chapter in a struggle for economic survival and human dignity.
The protesters, mobilized by movements like the #TakeItBackMovement and various civil society organizations, marched peacefully toward Gani Fawehinmi Park in Ojota. For them, this space—named after one of Nigeria’s fiercest advocates for justice—was more than just a park. It was a symbol. A place where voices could rise without fear.
“We are not here to fight,” said Tola Adebayo, a 28-year-old teacher who hasn’t been paid in months. “We are here to be heard. Our pain is real. The food prices, the insecurity, the hopelessness—how long must we pretend that all is well?”
Police presence was heavy, but calm. In a rare show of collaboration, the Lagos State Police Command, led by Commissioner Olohundare Jimoh, had coordinated with over 15 civil society groups to ensure the protest remained peaceful. Officers from Area F and other divisions were stationed discreetly along the protest route—alert, but not aggressive.
“This is our country too,” said Inspector Musa Ahmed, standing under the bridge with his helmet tucked under one arm. “We’re not here to silence anyone. We’re here to make sure nobody hijacks this for chaos.”
Unlike the tension-filled #EndSARS protests in 2020 or the angry crowds of the August 2024 economic unrest, this year’s Democracy Day saw no clashes, no tear gas, no panic. Instead, there were songs. Chants. Whistles. Some sat in circles, listening to speakers share ideas for a better Nigeria. Others simply held up signs: “End Poverty Now,” “We Deserve Good Governance,” and “Our Democracy, Our Voice.”
One photo by journalist Fisayo Idowu went viral by evening—a young girl, no more than nine, perched on her father’s shoulders, raising a cardboard sign that read: “My future matters too.”
By afternoon, the Lagos State Police Command issued a statement commending the protest organizers for their maturity and cooperation. The protesters, in turn, reaffirmed their commitment to non-violent civic action. “Today, we showed that we can demand change without bloodshed,” said Deji Adeyanju of the #TakeItBackMovement.
As Nigeria reflected on the events of June 12, 1993—when the nation’s most credible election was annulled—the voices in Lagos reminded everyone that democracy is not a finished product. It’s a work in progress. And sometimes, it needs to be defended not in voting booths, but on the streets.
Government officials urged calm and vigilance against false narratives spreading online, while verified news outlets like Punch, The Nation, and Vanguard provided accurate coverage of the day’s events.
But for many who marched under that Lagos sky, the message was already clear:
Democracy is not just a date on the calendar. It’s the right to demand better—and the courage to believe Nigeria can still deliver it.