THE launch of former military president Ibrahim Babangida’s autobiography, ‘A Journey in Service’, is generating reactions from prominent and other Nigerians.
While some knocked him for waiting for over three decades to shed light on issues such as the killing of veteran investigative journalist Dele Giwa and the annulment of the June 12, 1999, presidential election, others commended his contributions to national development and said the book would add to knowledge and support nation building.
For the first time after nearly 32 years, Babangida admitted during the book launch in Abuja on Thursday, February 19, that Moshood Abiola, fondly known by his name initials – MKO – won the poll, which he controversially annulled.
The launch doubled as fundraising for the presidential library for the former leader and raised over N12 billion in pledges and donations for the book and library.
While reviewing the book, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said Babangida dedicated a full chapter to the transition to military rule and the annulment of the June 12 election, widely believed as the most credible, freest and fairest in Nigeria’s democratic history.
He wrote: “Although I am on record to have stated after the elections that Abiola may not have won, upon deeper reflection and a closer examination of all available facts, particularly the detailed election results published as an appendix to this book, there was no doubt that M.K.O. Abiola won the June 12 elections.”
The former leader had in the past refused to admit that Abiola won the poll. Babangida in 2018 said there could have been consequences if he had allowed the election results to stand.
Reactions from political leaders
Reacting to the book launch, Labour Party’s presidential candidate Peter Obi, who also attended the event, lauded Babangida’s economic policies while noting that Nigeria had regressed since his time in power.
“IBB’s contributions to Nigeria’s economy and his strong support for entrepreneurship and private sector growth remain immeasurable. Under his leadership, Nigeria witnessed substantial growth, particularly in the financial sector. He played a key role in fostering a united and equitable Nigeria, and economic landscape, ensuring policies that strengthened national cohesion and economic development,” Obi wrote via his handle.
He also described Babangida’s admission that MKO won the June 12 election as a crucial step toward national healing and democratic growth.
Shehu Sani, a former senator, who also attended the launch, acknowledged Babangida’s role in Nigeria’s history but lamented that many activists who fought against the annulment of the June 12 election were no longer alive.
“It’s commendable that he finally recognised that MKO won the 1993 June 12 elections. Sadly, Gani, Beko, Fasheun, Chima Ubani and other activists, journalists and unionists who led the struggle and made sacrifices for its validation have passed on. Now that the truth is out 32 years after. I hope that history will be kind to him,” he wrote on his X handle.
Criticism from activists, public figures
Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate and publisher of Sahara Reporters, in his X post, dismissed Babangida’s book as an attempt to shift blame for the June 12 poll annulment to the late General Sani Abacha.
He said this a few hours before the book launch.
Sowore also claimed that Babangida’s administration killed veteran investigative journalist, Dele Giwa.
While Babangida regretted annulling the presidential poll and admitted that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate MKO Abiola won the election, he denied his government’s involvement in Giwa’s death.
He wrote in his book, “The hysteria of the media did not help the investigation of the Giwa murder. As is typical of the Nigerian media, the direction was marked by an adversarial attitude towards the government, which had remained the hallmark of the Nigerian media from its colonial heyday…
“When the Obasanjo civilian administration reopened the Giwa case at the Oputa Panel on Human and Civil Rights, I expected that the police and lawyers would come forward with new evidence as to their findings on the Giwa murder over the years.
“Nothing of such happened. The Giwa, like all mysterious murders, has remained unsolved after so many years. I keep hoping it will be uncovered in our lifetime or after us. More often than not, mysterious crimes are solved long after their commission.”
Also, a human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, expressed outrage at Babangida’s continued acceptance in Nigerian political space despite his past actions.
“To die for a people devoid of memory is to be killed over and over, again and again. In a place inhabited by the conscious, IBB would not dare to show his face in public. But in the crime scene that doubles as our country, having been succeeded by even more villainous ruiners, Badamasi is installed in the seat of the statesman…”
Similarly, journalist and author Richard Akinnola, on his Facebook page, questioned the credibility of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s remarks at the event, recalling past tensions between the two former leaders.
“So, OBJ (Obasanjo) could admonish IBB to disregard critics and people with “pull him down syndrome”, the same OBJ that described IBB as a ‘fool at 70’ on August 19, 2011.”
The ICIR reported that Obasanjo, the chairman at the event, had urged Babangida to shun the book’s critics.
Akinnola, in another post, also listed all key figures involved in the June 12 annulment, who are now dead. He emphasised that Babangida’s version of annulment remained unverifiable.
Inibehe Effiong, a lawyer and activist, in a post on X, condemned the Nigerian elite for celebrating Babangida despite his role in Nigeria’s political and economic struggles.
“Nigeria is a country that demonises heroes and canonises villains. Look at the evil genius, IBB. He launched his autobiography today and tried to annul history the way he annulled June 12 election,” he wrote.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M