Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN
“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.”- Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, set the tone for the importance of a free, fair and peaceful election.
It is a great honour to join this distinguished gathering for the public presentation of SHADOWS: Protest Essays on Africa’s Most Consequential Country (1999-2023). I thank the organisers for the invitation to speak on “Strengthening Electoral Institutions: Pathways to Free, Fair, and Peaceful Elections in 2027.” Few subjects are more relevant to Nigeria’s democratic future, and few occasions provide a better setting for such a conversation than the launch of a book that reflects on nearly a quarter of a century of our democratic experience. I warmly congratulate the author, Mr. Eniola Bello, on producing a work of remarkable breadth and enduring value. Throughout his distinguished career as a journalist and editor, he has consistently used the written word to interrogate public policy, challenge complacency and stimulate informed debate. SHADOWS is a worthy continuation of that tradition. Across more than 900 pages, the two volumes document Nigeria’s political journey from the return to constitutional rule in 1999 to 2023, capturing the events, personalities, institutions and controversies that have shaped the country’s democratic development.
