Straight up, I’ve always wondered if democracy day in nigeria actually means everyone gets democracy or if it’s just a day off. Like, they talk a big game about remembering the fight for free elections, but lots of people still feel ignored by the government, especially people who are poor or live in places with insecurity.

In my neighborhood, some folks say it’s just a fancy excuse for politicians to make promises in speeches. But other people get super emotional about what June 12 stands for, especially those who lived through the protests after the 1993 election drama. I saw on social media this year, a bunch of folks were saying freedom still isn’t real for everyone – like, some people can’t vote safely, or their votes don’t even seem to matter. But you could also say it’s better than nothing and at least there’s a real chance to speak up. Personally, I love the attention it brings to issues regular people face. Does it fix everything? Not really. But at least it keeps the talk about democracy alive, which feels important for Nigeria.