I am okay to state my final take (point of view) about General Ibrahim Babangida’s memoir, which I spent hours–if not days reading, which also stirred a lot of controversies in Nigeria both on and offline.
After reading the book, I now sense the reason behind the famous nickname of “Maradona” which was given by Nigerians to IBB when in power. His capricious moves, unpredictable actions when he was in power, as well as his witty confession a year after leaving office, have proven him to embody Legendary, Armando Maradona’s skills who was the best footballer of his time.
Although IBB is now older, he still seems to bear the spirit of ‘Maradonism’ to outsmart and outmaneuver millions of Nigerians, including his contemporaries, those who were alive to witness the heydays of his controversial administration.
Like any other ‘autobiography’ or ‘memoir’ nonetheless, one scarcely appears unambiguous, honest, blunt, and forthright in narrating the truth behind one’s life history, verbatim.
The history of General Babangida's Journey in Service, as it seems, is a narrative marred by both achievements and tribulations. It is a history of a man whose prime time was full of patriotism, stubbornness, power-mongering, inconsistency, disloyalty, and betrayal. It does not end there; it was a history full of Pan-Africanism and enthusiasm for human capital development.
Before I delve into sharing my impression pertaining to Babangida’s Journey In Service, I would like the readers to pay keen attention to some humorous narratives that are marked by ambiguity and vagueness that somehow thrusts the author into the state of topsy-turvy while trying to vindicate himself.
There are a few, out of the confusingly inchoate ‘chapters’ that I’d mention in the subsequent paragraphs to illustrate how Babangida (in trying to evade being blamed for his past wrong actions) ended up extorting himself.
However, only those who witnessed his time in power and yet, have fresh memories to recall what happened, as well as some of us (including my humble self) who read wider about Nigeria’s post-colonial political history, could be able to testify to some of the said areas.
Firstly, General IBB indirectly denied his involvement in the coup that overthrew Gen. Yakubu Gowon. I suspect that may be because Gowon is still alive. But authors as such Max Sciolun and Karl Maiar have unremittingly exposed the role of Babangida in that coup along with Joe Garba and Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. That was even why he found himself involved in the Supreme Military Council (SMC), attending meetings with high-ranking military officers such as Gen. Murtala, TY. Danjuma and Gen. Obasanjo.
He also disentangles himself in the most facile appearance of his role in the execution of the mutineers who were killed by firing squad as a result of a coup attempt by Dimka and his co-conspirators, which led to the death of General Murtala in 1976. History enables us to note that Babangida was heading one of the committees charged with the responsibility of fishing out those plotters and bringing them before the Military Martial Court for trial.
Of the funniest parts of the story, however, is that he (Babangida) didn’t attempt throughout the book as a form of bemoan [sic] or to conceal the reason why he led a palace coup against Buhari.
Babangida evinces with no iota of regret that he overthrew Buhari, and he did that to save the country from Buhari because Buhari was adamant about his numbing policies and inconsiderate of his actions. For the record, Babangida here has to be applauded for at least being bold enough to justify his actions against General Buhari, who is still alive to witness the book launch.
I won’t mind commenting about his famous but excruciatingly biting policy, which was known as the Structural Adjustment Policy (SAP). He might mean to implement that policy with a positive but idiosyncratic hope of bringing a way forward to Nigeria. So, I leave that case at his discretion! It was the same as the contemporary Bola Tinubu’s fuel subsidy removal.
Conversely, I used to feel like crying whenever I read how General Ibrahim Babangida remorselessly ordered the execution of Mamman Jiya Vatsa. Although Babangida justifies his latent and maudlin reason for what angered him to order the execution of Vatsa, I still don’t even want to hear or read part of that harrowing story.
I learned that Mamman Vatsa was not only a colleague to IBB, but a closest ally, who happened to be IBB’s classmate back then in their secondary days. Unfortunately, Babangida didn’t consider the closeness that existed between them; he ordered the execution of a childhood friend of his by mere accusation of coup plotting. This [to me] is not only an indefensible betrayal but a hard-pressed death's gift that a friend could ever be given to his friend.
In another attempt to expurgate himself from the controversial June 12 election saga, IBB claimed that he had no idea, nor was he informed before the election annulment was made public. And that Sani Abacha was the mastermind of the annulment. Such a century-aged tale! The same Babangida was seen in different interviews justifying the annulment. Hmmm!😃
Least I forget, my write-up is just to analyze what I read from General Babangida’s memoir. The fact remains unchanged that IBB is someone I respect for his immense contributions to the growth and unity of Nigeria. As I stated categorically in my previous posts, I don’t and will never impugn IBB’s work, no matter how garish and hackneyed it may appear.
That is how ‘autobiography’ usually used to be.....given the fact that one scarcely exposes or strips himself in a book, he has control to prevaricate and do away with his past misdeeds. Even Pharaoh would have reasons to justify his ‘evil reign’ should he be given a paper and pen to write his side part of the story.
Finally, I encourage people to read IBB's book, to get an idea of certain important segments of Nigera’s history. But one thing I know is that General IBB’s Journey In Service (book) is just a collection of well-articulated grammar that presents his remarkable history with a concoction of self-embellished, subtle, flippant, and masquerading tales.
