The family of late labour icon and pro-democracy hero, Comrade Frank Ovie Kokori, has praised President Bola Tinubu for posthumously awarding him the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) but has appealed for a higher honour to match his national sacrifice.
In a press statement signed by Kive Kokori, the family said the recognition of their patriarch for his historic role in the June 12, 1993, pro-democracy struggle was commendable and long overdue.
“We see this gesture as an important and commendable step toward correcting a long-standing national oversight,” the statement noted.
“But with great humility and in the spirit of justice and historical clarity, the Kokori family appeals to President Tinubu to further elevate this recognition.”
Frank Kokori, who was General Secretary of NUPENG during the era of military dictatorship, famously led the national oil workers’ strike that crippled Nigeria’s oil exports in protest against the annulled June 12 election won by Chief M.K.O. Abiola.
For his resistance, he was abducted, brutally imprisoned in Bama under inhumane conditions, and detained for nearly four years—mostly in solitary confinement.
The family described his sacrifices as “unprecedented in scale and consequence,” noting that he refused to compromise, even when offered a top government position and a blank cheque by the Abacha regime.
“While we do not seek to diminish the contributions of other patriots in the June 12 struggle, Comrade Kokori’s role was singular in its courage, consequence, and cost,” the statement read.
“He stood out, not only for what he fought for, but for what he endured.”
They recalled that President Tinubu himself had described Kokori as “a brother and comrade-in-struggle,” and, therefore, urged that the award be elevated to either Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) or at least Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR)—in line with similar honours given to other democracy heroes.
Additionally, the family is calling for a national monument or institution to be named after Frank Kokori to preserve his legacy and inspire future generations.
“Though he did not receive these recognitions during his lifetime, it is never too late to do what is right.
“We trust that President Tinubu, as one who also paid a steep price for democracy, will rise to the occasion in correctly honouring one of its most unsung but indispensable warriors,” the statement concluded.