IBB: Just before I read the book

Former military president of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, retd, returned to the headlines of national discourse and beer parlour gossip last Thursday, February 20, 2025. The man from Minna, who turns 84 on August 17 this year, had simply gathered the world in Abuja, the nation’s political capital, to present his long~awaited memoir. Considering it has been three decades and two since he left power coupled with the fact that Nigeria and Nigerians don’t care a hoot about non~incumbents, bookmakers had thought it would be one of those book events. Again, vintage IBB, he proved everyone wrong.

The public presentation of the IBB book, ‘’A Journey in Service,’’ was meant to raise funds to build the autobiographer’s presidential library in Minna, Niger state. A people permanently ridiculed at home and abroad as haters of reading not only massively attended the book event but as well, judging by the quantum of public analyses, read up the entire book in  a matter of hours. However, this entry is neither about the 220~page book nor about the orgasmic reaction it has extracted from at least 200 million human beings. Rather, this is about an aspect or two or more of the event that nobody has pointed out.

I have gleaned so much from this one book launch that there is more than enough to share and to spare; even before I open the first page of the iconic book. Before delving into that realm though, it is necessary not to gloss over the mixed emotions the book has expectedly provoked nationwide. And, it is in character. Nigerians and IBB have the kind of relationship that the people themselves and the man himself cannot explain.

This writer has read or heard some of the reviews or rather some of the reactions to the book. Most are typical: holier~than~thou~ish, malicious, stuck in the past. Having led our country for all of eight years, the equivalent of two presidential terms, the maximum allowed by the constitution, IBB is public property. He belongs to all of us.

Therefore, every time it’s about him, every Nigerian is right to be like one of the proverbial six blind men who after touching an elephant were asked to describe it. All six entered six different descriptions. Of course, they were not lying as their reports were based on which part of the largest living land animal they had touched. Most IBB compatriots are sold on his effervescence, on his magic, on his panache. In fact, as you would find out, this piece is compelled by that thinking.

The gap~toothed general, while he held sway as number one citizen, brought quite some charm to both the high office of president in particular and the all~important subject of leadership in general. He showed great generosity of spirit (the way he related with even his opponents, juniors and lieutenants and the way he cared about their welfare and that of their families). He was monstrously creative (have you heard about power calls he made every day?); he was patriotically bold (never for once betrayed the inferiority complex that keeps most leaders from hiring hands they fear are better than them) and went to great lengths to hire the best and the brightest. Above all, apart from the milestones he achieved most of which remain to this day, he gave us Maryam, the First Lady of First Ladies; the one First Lady Nigeria may never forget.

The second class of IBB analysts are peopled by those in the sanctimonious school of thought, who think they can never forgive him. As if that affects anything at all. It is the same they who gave the charismatic leader the sobriquet, evil genius. They are 99.99 percent stuck in the past, a past that is at least 32 years old ~and counting.

These ones grumble all the time about the execution of Gen. Mamman Jiya Vatsa on March 5, 1986 over a coup they maintain he knew nothing about; about the unfortunate dastardly killing of Dele Giwa via parcel bomb which happened on October 19, 1986 in Ikeja~Lagos, and about the June 24 annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election that we then thought but now know was won by MKO Abiola of Social Democratic Party. Granted but not conceding, IBB who led the country when these fatal downpours came upon Nigeria should take responsibility, which he has, must we put those records on eternal replay? To what end? Or, well, is it just that it is human nature to keep even perceived malice forever?

Even then, that is not all. On and about IBB, there’s yet a third force. These ones are fence sitters. They are for him, when it suits them and against when it doesn’t.

Alas, you cannot blame them. A little to the left and a little to the right is a Nigerian survival strategy which many accuse the former military president of having propounded. And, a keen analysis of experience would show clearly that Nigeria has tended to encourage fence sitting the way it rewards fence sitters far more and better and faster than the men and women and children of honour. You may be shocked that it is even IBB fence sitters who have enjoyed the father of four (2:2) the most, then and now.

That is the ugly reality of life. You won’t plant cocoyam and harvest yam but you can plant hungry-looking cocoyam and harvest a bumper cocoyam. You can work hard and not eat but another would eat without having worked. You can be present but forgotten while another would be absent but remembered.

Sssh, life itself is a fence sitter. She looks away when she should not. Life cannot die (for death) because she knows it (death) cannot live for anyone let alone her. Life fights and runs away to live to fight another day knowing full well that death is too dead to return not to talk of to fight back.

Enter my friend, an IBB man, Mr Clement Warrie of Nsit Ubium local government area of Akwa Ibom state. Yesterday in the morning, I stumbled  on one of those Facebook re~posts targeting the former military president. Here you are: ‘’Col. Fajuyi asked that he be killed with his visitor, Gen. Ironsi, so it would not appear like he handed his guest to the coupists and his request was granted as he was shot and his guest killed. He was a Lieutenant Colonel.

‘’IBB was a General but he keeps saying that he would have been killed if he did not annul the June 12 presidential election. The point I’m making is that those who call some ethnic groups in Nigeria cowards are not taught history by their elders. I do not know of a greater national hero than Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi. And, I do not know of a worse coward like (sic) General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.’’

I thought Mr Warrie’s comment on that thread shut everyone up and if you like ended the discussion somewhat. I bring it here verbatim: ‘’Can that writer die for this country? The Colonel did what he did because, look, no one would have believed him: it was expedient. IBB fought for this country: the revisionists should show their (own) scars.’’

That is the point. IBB bears verifiable scars and wears confirmable medals; Nigeria~centric scars and medals that qualify him for appreciation, for goodwill, for understanding. Like all of us, he must have come short here and there but there is no denying his monumental impact and relevance. In fact, only vindictive haters or witches and wizards choose to never forget his 25 percent bad when they cannot remember his 75 percent good!

At 53, myself, I have experienced too much to know that nothing is as it seems. Let me tell us a short story. In March of 1993, a year after I gained admission into the University of Uyo, I had returned to Bekumu, the Cameroonian fishing suburb where I grew up, to visit my parents. My father, Etubom (Elder) Michael Effiong Mbaba, a fisherman (God bless his soul) ~like my petty trader mother, Deaconess (Mrs) Paulina Michael Effiong- was not educated.

For this obvious reason, they and I hardly ever discussed politics or any such general knowledge matter. So, when I casually told my father I needed to run back to Nigeria in time for June 12 and he retorted by asking who was my candidate, I never bargained for what followed after I told him I was SDP. ‘’I could have guessed that because all good people want Abiola but he won’t be president. And, if he insists, he shall die for nothing.’’

This year makes it 32 years since my father who was never a prophet (up until his death in 2021) spoke the lines which eventually played out. I still develop goosebumps whenever I remember the scenario. Life is not how we all think her. The way IBB left power unceremoniously that 1993, I believe that the annulment was not really his brainchild but I won’t go as far as pointing the finger or calling names because ~I mean~ how would a dead man defend himself?

It is therefore up to Team Abacha (not the family, but colleagues and aides who were active eyewitnesses) to step forward and tell their own side of the story. If they want. For now, God has been faithful not only to keep IBB but also to embolden him to narrate his part in this historic and historical national treasure series. At this juncture, let me apologise to you for the deviation.

I get carried away by anything IBB too easily. Please forgive me. I like his maradonaness. I cannot help myself.

Today, my intendment was to share some lessons that the IBB book launch teaches all of us, willy nilly. On the spot, the event raked in N18 billion shy of just N50 million (by today, that figure would have changed dramatically, and on and on). IBB left office or active leadership 32 years ago so you cannot accuse him sensibly and successfully of whatever. Rather, sit yourself down and if you still have the opportunity or are likely to have, vow to emulate IBB by deliberately positioning and empowering people.

Say what you would but that is the first direct message that flows from the deafening thank you the IBB book launch teaches everyone living and unborn. The man, during his presidential heyday, intentionally and selflessly enriched people. We don’t here refer to those small doses of so~called empowerment by present day politicians; empowerment that beggars both its very essence and beneficiaries. We mean life~defining passes that most leaders today do not give because they want their followers to keep coming back!

Haters especially should give themselves a break to meditate on that trademark IBB lesson. Secondly, Nigeria has good people, I swear. Nigerians returned ~and in their numbers~ after well over three decades to thank a benefactor who no longer holds power and perhaps is even too old to remember or worry about the nine who would never come back to say thank you. Thirdly, nothing can diminish a good man, a good name, a good deed: not mistakes, not bad press, not ethnicity, not politics, not time.

Fourthly, (something I had written on before) whatever it is, whatever happens, whatever you do, never die for anything or for anybody. Life forgets or forgives even the worst offence and cures or obliterate even the bitterest memory; while death stews in permanent bitterness and regret. Only the living speak of heroes who are dead. In their graves, such heroes may themselves be cursing their naïveté and stupidity.

Fifthly and the last, the IBB book launch teaches Nigerians and indeed all human beings about time and timing. I can bet that IBB never planned this event while he yet served and certainly not for 32 years after. God arranged this one and aligned everyone and everything perfectly. Does it not mean something to us that one of the icons of the MKO Abiola struggle is now president and was right there to honour ~in kind and in cash~ the same man we blame for having annulled the election?

IBB cannot be the problem, as I see it. Life is. I have landed. However, please remain seated and belted because I am still taxiing.

Let me look for trouble small, as we say in Nigeria, before you disembark. Who and who among our civilian leaders, since 1999, would you say have tended at any meaningful level to replicate the IBB pro~people effect? Bola Tinubu, yes? Godswill Akpabio, yes?

Finally, just so you know, as you mentioned your own IBB-like men and women, you do not need to be a person’s fan and friend to admit their unique selling point. IBB ~in spite of and despite being a military leader~ surely left extra large leadership shoes. Our leaders at every stratum (national or sub national or local government) must effective today consciously start to show that all the good IBB did with power, they too can also do it and even better. Congratulations, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida on how beautifully you “engineered” our country, and please say me well to Aisha and Muhammad as well as to Aminu and Halima.

God bless Nigeria!