The recent launch of IBB: Nigeria’s Visionary Soldier and Statesman, the autobiography of former military president Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has once again stirred debates about his controversial legacy. His public apologies, particularly regarding the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, have sparked mixed reactions across Nigeria’s political and historical spectrum. But beyond the surface, Babangida’s reflections reveal deeper layers of Nigeria’s power dynamics, historical contradictions, and the complexities of political survival.
June 12: A Collective Guilt
IBB is often singularly blamed for the annulment of the June 12 election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. However, as noted in Max Siollun’s Soldiers of Fortune, Babangida did not act alone. Several Yoruba elites who should have championed Chief MKO Abiola’s cause were complicit. The same figures who decry IBB’s actions conveniently ignore the betrayals within their own ranks. This selective amnesia highlights the hypocrisy embedded in Nigeria’s historical narratives. Furthermore, many critics call IBB a coward for not standing up to General Sani Abacha. Yet, those familiar with military politics understand the immense power Abacha wielded. Babangida himself described him as a “coup specialist”, the very man who saved him from a bloody coup in 1985. Could Babangida have risked his own survival by challenging a ruthless general deeply entrenched in the military?
The Igbo Question and Historical Injustices
One of the most overlooked aspects of IBB’s book is his assertion that the January 1966 coup was not an Igbo conspiracy. Those who have studied Nigerian history beyond surface-level propaganda know this to be true. Yet, many who demand justice for Abiola and the Yoruba conveniently justify the mass killings of the Igbo in the North following the coup. This double standard is a stark reminder of Nigeria’s historical biases. As Chinua Achebe’s There Was a Country highlighted, the Igbo have often been scapegoated for political upheavals in Nigeria, even when the facts prove otherwise.
The Political Irony: June 12 Activists at IBB’s Book Launch
Perhaps the most striking contradiction was the presence of key June 12 activists, including President Bola Tinubu, at Babangida’s book launch. Morayo Brown, a TVC anchor whose father fought for June 12 alongside Tinubu, expressed her disappointment. Meanwhile, Obidients criticized Peter Obi for attending. This reinforces a hard truth: in politics, there are no permanent enemies, only shifting interests. For those who blindly follow politicians, this should be a moment of awakening. Nigerian politicians do not operate on the moral convictions of their supporters. IBB understood this well and mastered the art of relationship-building across ethnic and political divides. His marriage to Maryam, an Igbo woman, and his ability to retain friendships even with former adversaries exemplify this.
Final Thoughts: Beyond Sentiments, Towards Critical Thinking
IBB’s book launch is a reminder that history should not be consumed passively. Nigerians must move beyond emotional reactions and engage in critical reflection. Just as people rushed to condemn Chinua Achebe’s There Was a Country without properly digesting its arguments, many will dismiss Babangida’s narrative without interrogating the broader historical and political complexities. IBB’s apologies may not erase the scars of history, but they provide an opportunity for reflection. His era was one of both ambition and betrayal, of vision and manipulation. To understand Nigeria’s political landscape today, we must study the past - not through selective memory, but with a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths.
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