Former President Ibrahim Babangida launched his much-anticipated autobiography, A Journey In Service, in Abuja, the nation’s capital, last week. It was a grand event that attracted former Presidents, top politicians and several billionaires who had benefited from his patronage during his eight momentous years in power.
More than any other Head of State, IBB, variously called Maradona or the Evil Genius because of his deft maneuvres, was the most controversial Nigerian leader, military or civilian.
First, less than two years after he masterminded the coup that truncated the Third Republic and installed Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as Head of State, IBB led another putsch that removed Buhari from power in a bloodless palace coup. The Buhari regime’s offense was that the general was harsh, high-handed, and unwilling to carry his colleagues along in decision-making.
Buhari himself did not help matters with his draconian decrees, especially the infamous Decree 4, which curtailed press freedom. He further alienated the larger populace with his harsh policies. Buhari antagonized Britain and imposed visa restrictions, despite the fact that Commonwealth citizens at the time required no visas to travel to the UK. In retaliation, the British imposed visa requirements on Nigerians, forcing them to forfeit the traditional, age-long privilege of easy travel that Commonwealth citizens enjoyed.
In addition, the Buhari-Idiagbon regime sentenced politicians found guilty of corrupt practices to ridiculously long jail terms, sometimes 50 years or more, which were clearly disproportionate to their offenses. Some of these politicians later died shortly after being released from prison. Many of the regime’s policies made it unpopular, creating the right atmosphere for IBB to seize power.
After coming to power, IBB tried to run a populist, people-friendly government. He presented himself as a benevolent dictator with a civilian disposition. He consulted widely and brought intellectuals, university dons, prominent politicians, and activists into his administration. He deliberately courted hostile critics and gave them political appointments; many were made ambassadors or heads of government agencies, among other roles.
IBB captured the public imagination and enjoyed enormous goodwill, even as his political appointments were viewed as “settlement” for opposition elements, civil society leaders and restive politicians. However, soon after, corruption began to fester unchecked and IBB quickly lost considerable credibility, exhausting his goodwill, especially as he began consolidating power through patronage and military appointments to buy loyalty.
In time, he began scheming to remain in power perpetually. This sit-tight syndrome became increasingly apparent, forcing him to become more desperate to hold on to power at any cost. This culminated in his infamous annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, an election that he has finally admitted in his autobiography, Journey In Service, that MKO Abiola won.
Babangida did serve Nigeria well in some ways. He first came to prominence when he led the counter-coup that aborted Col. Dimka’s unsuccessful coup, which had killed the late Head of State, Gen. Murtala Muhammed, on February 13, 1976, barely six months into power. This act made Babangida a hero and a popular army officer. It also helped him expand his influence in the military over the years.
It was, therefore, easy for IBB to come to power and quickly establish his regime after the removal of Buhari, who never forgave him for the betrayal. This long-standing animosity between the two persists to this day, which is why Buhari was the only former President absent at IBB’s book launch.
The book itself is seen by many as an anthology of inflated platitudes, justifying his unpopular execution of Gen. Mamman Vatsa, his bosom friend, and the mass execution of other coup plotters, led by the whimsical Col. Gideon Orkar, whose attempted coup was foiled by Sani Abacha to keep Babangida in power.
Although Abacha initially had a close relationship with IBB for years, their relationship eventually soured due to power struggles and succession issues. Abacha always harbored ambitions of becoming Head of State after IBB, and he carefully planned for it. This was certainly a key reason why he was left behind to protect the transitional Interim National Government (ING) that IBB hurriedly installed before leaving office under pressure.
Abacha, the power behind the feckless Shonekan administration, wasted no time in toppling the ING in less than three months.
All the deeds and misdeeds of IBB are left for posterity to judge. What matters now is that he has told his own story, naturally and expectedly, from his own perspective. Nobody should crucify him for that, as it is his right. Those who criticize him should write their own accounts. Buhari and other former Presidents, Yakubu Gowon, Goodluck Jonathan and Abdulsalami Abubakar, as well as Vice President Atiku Abubakar, should also document their own experiences. These accounts would contribute to our political history and enrich our national library.
Major public figures, prominent politicians, leading business figures, and celebrities across various fields should also write their stories. Such efforts stimulate debate and enrich our national dialogue.
The late Biafran warlord, Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, never wrote a fully-fledged autobiography or, at the very least, a detailed account of his role in the Nigerian Civil War. This unfortunate omission robbed us of a crucial perspective on the 30-month carnage. No one could have told the Biafra story better than Chief Odumegwu-Ojukwu himself, who led the war on the Eastern front. But all that is now history.
As for IBB’s book, we should expect nothing less. What is important is that the former President has finally publicly admitted his error and taken full responsibility, whether or not he blamed others for it. With this, the ghost of June 12 should now be laid to rest.
• Ayodeji is a speaker, author, and counsellor. He can be reached on 09059243004 (WhatsApp only)