I gotta be honest, for a lot of people my age democracy day in nigeria is just another public holiday. When I was younger, it was basically a free day from school and maybe an excuse to sleep in. But as I got older, I’ve noticed my friends and I talk about politics more on that day—like, questioning if elections ever actually matter or if anything’s changed since 1993.

Some young people do care a lot, especially if they’re into politics or activism. If you go on social media on June 12, there’s always debate about whether our leaders are living up to the promises of actual democracy. But a bunch of teenagers I know just use it to hang out, stream shows, or chill. I think unless you’re really into Nigerian history or your family talks about MKO Abiola a lot, the deeper meaning doesn’t always stick, which kind of sucks. Still, I hope more of us start to care, because it’s supposed to be about holding leaders accountable, not just skipping class for the day.