June 12: Freedom from Selfishness- The First Step Toward National Freedom

June 12: Freedom from Selfishness- The First Step Toward National Freedom

June 12, 2025

By Christopher Sunday

As Nigeria celebrates another Democracy Day, it is essential not only to reflect on the heroes of June 12 but also to ask ourselves a simple, profound question: what is the true enemy of freedom? Sometimes, it’s not military might or bad governance. Sometimes, it’s selfishness — the kind that begins in the heart of man before it ever shows up in the corridors of power.

Democracy, by its very nature, is a system built on selflessness — the willingness to put community before personal gain, to accept delayed gratification for the greater good, and to prioritize equity over entitlement. When individuals, especially those in leadership, conquer their personal desires for unchecked power, unearned wealth, or blind ambition, society flourishes.

As the story of June 12 reminds us, democracy was not handed down to us freely — it was demanded, fought for, and bought with the sacrifices of men and women who chose country over comfort. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for instance, is celebrated today not just because of his current position, but because of the battles he fought when it was dangerous to fight; because he gave up privileges and resisted dictatorship in pursuit of a better Nigeria.

That same spirit must live in us today. The ordinary citizen who chooses not to pay a bribe has contributed to democracy. The youth who resists electoral violence is a democratic hero. The leader who forgoes greed and governs with the fear of God is restoring hope to our land.

To win national freedom, we must first win the personal battle against selfishness. That is how we move from symbolic democracy to functional democracy — where justice isn’t just a word, and leadership is measured not by power, but by service.

On this Democracy Day, let us honour the memory of our heroes not merely with speeches and ceremonies, but by making a silent, daily vow to defeat the selfishness within us. Only then can we say we are truly free.

Happy Democracy Day, Nigeria.