By Simon Reef Musa
One of the most discussed military rulers in Nigeria’s history, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, turned 85 this week. He rose to the nation’s pinnacle of power nearly 41 years ago, “after dethroning the then Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, in a bloodless coup.”
The “austere-looking Daura-born General” took over at a time the country was “fraught with uncertainty.”
“Given the public outcry, it became clear that the clouds were gathering for yet another coup aimed at salvaging what had remained of the country after the squandermania attitude of the sacked Second Republic politicians,” the piece notes.
*From Minna Schoolboy to Soldier*
Despite a 1952 prediction by a seer, “as disclosed by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, that young Babangida would become president, it took 32 years for the prophecy to be fulfilled.”
Unlike Shakespeare’s Macbeth, “IBB, as he is popularly called, avoided violence and walked into power without bloodshed. He combined compassion and a love of humanity, which made him popular among officers and soldiers.”
Born a leader, his early years foreshadowed his trajectory. “He led junior students to revolt against the illegal law that forbade them from leaving the dormitories to escape the night heat.” At Provincial Secondary School, Bida, now Government College, Bida, he “would eventually be appointed college head boy in recognition of his leadership qualities.”
“In Bida, the future president learned to harmonise differing opinions to build consensus. Sharpening his negotiation skills, young Ibrahim would walk the tightrope of leadership to survive the challenges.”
Three years after military training in Kaduna, he was sent abroad and “excelled.” On his return, the January 1966 coup and the Civil War followed. “Like his colleagues, Babangida had no choice but to join them in fighting for the country’s unity.” He recalled daring “the odds to save his friend and colleague, then Captain Garba Duba, amid enemy gunfire.”
*The 1976 Coup and Rise to Power*
“If disobeying rules is what makes one great, the February 1976 coup led by Col Buka Suka Dimka turned the then-Colonel Babangida into a folklore hero. Unarmed and unruffled, he walked into the Radio House to meet the coup leader.”
“With unprecedented articulatory prowess, Babangida left safely after Dimka urged him to drop his coup plan and surrender to the military authorities.” He would later return “under the strict instruction of the Chief of Army Staff, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, to flush out the dissidents.”
*Eight Years of Transformational Leadership*
Babangida led Nigeria for eight years, a period now “described as a profound period of transformational leadership and growth, with his era witnessing the assembling of the nation’s best brains and brawn to lift Africa’s giant from the labyrinth of underdevelopment.”
“The gap-toothed General from Minna was relentlessly determined to turn around the fortunes of a country many believed had become ‘God’s creation in the impossibility.’”
On policy, the regime “inaugurated a 17-member Political Bureau, led by Dr Samuel Joseph Cookey, to undertake a thorough analysis of Nigeria’s problems.”
Amid opposition to the IMF loan of N2.8 billion, “the president hailed citizens for their opinion but quickly made it clear that the days ahead could prove extremely challenging.”
On October 1, 1985, he declared a “15-month State of Economic Emergency,” which preceded the Structural Adjustment Programme that banned imports like rice and maize “to safeguard foreign exchange reserves.”
Like Gowon, “General Babangida embarked on infrastructure development and promulgated laws establishing institutions that have continued to define public service in the country.”
A landmark was the relocation of the capital: “the nation’s capital, Abuja, made possible by his courage to relocate the nation’s capital from Lagos on 12th December 1991. This singular feat opened the nation’s capital to massive infrastructure development.”
His tenure also saw two foiled coups. “On his watch, two coups led by Mamman Vatsa and Gideon Orka were uncovered, with the brains behind them executed.”
*Conspiracy, June 12 and Legacy*
The article addresses long-standing conspiracy theories, citing Yakubu Mohammed’s revelation “that the Newswatch magazine was never involved in investigating a drug peddler known as Gloria Okon.”
“With one of the media platforms telling the world that it was involved in any investigation, the entire conspiracy fell flat.”
On June 12, the former president “has continued to justify his government’s decisions,” with the piece noting: “As the leader around which issues revolved, IBB preferred the annulment to save the country from the aftermath of revalidation of the June 12 poll.”
Since turning 80 in 2021, “his home has become a Mecca of sorts for many citizens trooping in for consultation. IBB’s home has become the most visited place for shakers and movers in Nigerian society.”
“In IBB, you meet a former military leader whose compassion and large-heartedness to listen and intervene have become a wall of defence.”
He often reflects on leadership and human nature, taking “consolation in the words of James Truslow Adams: ‘There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it ill behoves any of us to find fault with the rest of us’.”
*85 and Still Engaged*
“Reaching the age of 85 is certainly a significant feat for a president whose towering courage and humanity are beyond doubt. He has served his country and continues to serve humanity in the best way he can.”
The tribute concludes: “May abundant good health be your portion, and may the years ahead continue to strengthen you and renew your age in service for your country. General IBB, Happy 85th birthday. Congratulations!”
_Simon Reef Musa is an Abuja-based media practitioner and member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE). This article first appeared on THISDAYLIVE._