“Unfortunately, major past and present leaders who have perpetually caged Nigeria from their primitive tendencies were present eulogizing a man whose path is full of evil and blames, including those the General tormented and kept in captivity while in office”
By Mark Orgu, News/Comments
Nigerians wake up last week Thursday, to see billions rain at Transcorp Hilton hall, Abuja, when a former military head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida rtd, unveiled his autobiography titled, ‘A Journey In Service.’
The ceremony brought about who is who in the country, including those the former General tormented when he was in power between 1985-1993, after he orchestrated a military coup against his colleague in the army, Major General Mohammadu Buhari rtd.
At the book unveiling, IBB raised N17. 5 billion, whereas the country’s citizens wallow in poverty. Interestingly, Nigerians were told that the donations is for the former head of state’s library, and the question is, what benefit would IBB’s library be to Nigeria, especially in the northern part, where poverty is at its ebb.
Anyway, These are the donors, Billionaire industrialist, Abdul Samad Rabiu who donated N5 Billion, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, African wealthiest man,, N8 billion, General TY, Danjuma, former Army Chief and Minister of Defence, N3billion, while another billionaire businessman, Arthur Eze supported with N500 million.
And so, the question many Nigerians are asking is, what is so special in IBB’s book that most Nigerians don’t know. Unfortunately, major past and present leaders who have perpetually caged Nigeria from their primitive tendencies were present eulogizing a man whose path is full of evil and blames, including those the General tormented and kept in captivity while in office .
No wonder a friend of mine (Name withheld) in USA in a telephone conversation yesterday said, it was a show of shame when he watched how Nigerian elites were praising IBB, who destroyed many souls and plunged the country into chaotic state, could receive accolades and billions of naira for probably telling a story that is worthless to history. He concluded by saying, ‘I gave up on Nigeria.’ At this juncture, I told him, that Nigeria is built to celebrate sinners more and corruption than saints.
Truly, as documented by Wikipedia, IBB rose through the ranks of the Nigerian Army, and fought the country’s civil war. He was involved in many military coups before advancing to the rank of a General, and forcefully became Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and as an unelected president and one of the greatest well known dictators in the West African region from 1985-1993, ruling for uninterrupted period of eight years. He annulled the June 12 election and made the country to suffer the loss of its own resource and time.
He became one of the most dangerous and controversial leaders, that destroyed any stumbling block on his way, and his regime was characterized by a burgeoning political corruption. In, fact, Babangida and his regime was estimated to have misappropriated at least 12 billion dollars , ( N180 billion today rate), yet, he walked freely away with it. What a shame of a country. The irony of it all, is that, most of our past leaders have no shame in them, and that is why they can do anything and get away with it. The Country’s institutions established to fight criminals are weak with compromise, how can a country in such scenario survive, never.
Thus, those leaders who attended the book launch of IBB are the major Nigerian problem from inception, and that was why I was happy when Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who reviewed the book, cast the stone and stole the show when he captured in his review as a reminder of the evil days of the chronology of IBB’s litany of prominence :
‘Many of the key figures in this book and who shaped the history of our country are here with us today, and that tells another story, something truly unique about Nigeria: our ability to move beyond the past, no matter how bitter and adversarial our past relationships may be and come together. Seated among us is General Yakubu Gowon, who became Nigeria’s Head of State at just 32 and led the country for nine years. His government was overthrown in 1975 by a coup involving then-Brigadier Olusegun Obasanjo, Brigadier Theophilus Danjuma, and the author himself, Babangida, then Lt.Col Babangida and commander of the newly formed Armoured Corps. Also involved were then-Lieutenant Colonels Muhammadu Buhari, Sani Bello, and Sani Sami.”
“Yet, here we are today, with former President Obasanjo and General Danjuma present, not as adversaries of the author but as witnesses to history, celebrating a fellow statesman. In a striking turn of fate, the author notes that it was President Obasanjo who, after the tragic assassination of General Murtala Mohammed, insisted that a young Lt. Col. Babangida be appointed to the Supreme Military Council, making him its youngest member at the time.”
“Also represented here is immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari, another leader whose path intertwined with Babangida. Babangida played a key role in the coup that brought President Buhari to power in 1983, and later, in another coup that removed him and brought Babangida himself to power. Yet, today President Buhari is represented at this occasion, celebrating the man who overthrew him and detained him for three and a half years, his one-time old adversary General Babangida.”
“Then there is a gentleman here who was an elected senator in 1992 in the course of Babangida’s Transition Programme, when Babangida annulled the 1993 election, and General Abacha took over and dissolved the Senate, he tried to reconstitute the senate in resistance to the dissolution, he was detained and charged to court, he escaped into exile. Today, he also is here to celebrate with his erstwhile tormentors but now as President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu GCF”
Indeed, Nigeria is truly a laughing stock, that does not beacon on history, rather sycophancy and criminality is celebrated here and there.
So, what lesson is IBB’s book going to teach Nigerians, that he participated in various military coups that culminated into destroying the country’s laid down vision by the founding fathers, or his past regime of high level of corruption and pharaohical nature, certainly, there is no need to waste time to read the book, maybe, one want to waste his time or take it as tea break.
Above all, do we really have a country or a shadow of a country where sinners become heroes and heroes become sinners. There is no need for any well meaning Nigeria to waste their time to read what will not benefit them. IBB has gone away with his evil days, now getting rewards of his evil days in huge cash and carry.
Orgu, wrote from Lagos, (Mark@afrikanwatchngr.com)
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