Kingsley Nwadishi
11 October 2001
opinion
Lagos — If there exits one man: a Nigerian who has, not just the consistent capability but tenacity to conjecture and sustain a tranquil mien which only serves, characteristically, as a decoy for the unsuspecting or his adversaries, that Nigerian is Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida
The gap-toothed, Minna-born General almost always exhibits respectable calmness even when the heat around him would send lesser mortals either to a panicky flight or to committing regrettable; suicidal blunders. But underneath his facade of simplistic meekness, as history has shown, lies rugged masterstroke political calculus most of whom he had employed to hold Nigeria spellbound for a little close to 2,920 days (1985-1993).
The certification of Babangida's peculiar mannerisms and, or absurdities has earned him the metaphorical accolade-"Maradona", for his deft political manoeuvring skills whether as a soldier or a politician in the field of power play.
It is against this backdrop that I was dismayed when I read his interview published in THISDAY of Friday, August 17, 2001. Why was I shocked? Baba said "I am sober at sixty". Why would the self-confessed "evil-genius" be sober? That a man who once boasted that he is trained to dominate his environment is sober may yet again have set in motion the prologue of another articulate intrigue. He should be happy and not be sober. After all, how many Nigerians (with the exception of Yakubu Gowon) have had the privilege of presiding over the most populous black nation in the world for eight years? And how many will ever rule Nigeria that long?
Why would "Baba" be sober when some major newspapers were filled with colourful adverts from very important personalities and corporate giants days to his 60th birthday? The fantastic eulogies and prayers in the adverts were certainly for a man not akin to sobriety but chilvary.
One is not sure most Nigerians can fight blindfolded for the man, like the amiable Abubakar Umar former governor of Kaduna State and retired colonel of the Nigerian Army would. It is needless to ask also, if Nigerians would today, prefer his infectious smiles to the stern, stone cold face of Buhari's CGS, late Tunde Idiagbon, both of whom he ousted in 1985. I am not sure I would agree with Babangida's sycophants or those whose psyche has become inelastic with the I.B.B tragic phenomenon that the major problem with his eight years of misrule was his pathological over-generosity and kindness to many. Yes, kindness and generosity to who? With whose what? And why? More importantly, was he kind to the vast majority of Nigerians?
The structural adjustment programme appeared to be his trump card for economic re-engineering back then. Not even the anti-SAP riots nor public debates against S.A.P could change its implementation. It failed, and our economy and standard of living became of course, the emblem of the catastrophe. His administration saw the proliferation of banks, finance houses and mortgage firms-90% of which fell like a pack of cards.
It would be difficult to forget that the longest nationwide closure of universities in the history of Nigeria -the ACAREF riot of 1988 was under Babangida's regime. What about the oil subsidy riots, the IMF riots, and the mother of all riots: the June 12 riots- all of which claimed hundreds of lives. IBB should be sober indeed!
He should be sober because his administration institutionalised corruption via the "settlement syndrome. "He should be sober for the annulment of the June 12 1993 elections. He cannot but be sober because it is unlikely if the "Army Arrangement" postulation of the visionary and mercurial late Afro beat king: Fela Anikulapo-Kuti will see him back at the villa he built with grim determination and huge financial cost. But is the "Maradona" really sober? I don't believe he is. He knows that public opinion weighs heavily against his personality and profile. But like the 'Genius' that he is, he understands the workings of the Nigerian mentality, and more importantly, Fela's 'Army arrangement' pontification in Nigerian politics. What arrangement?
In l979 General Obasanjo handed over power to an elected civilian president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari. The parade commander of that memorable event was Lt. Col. Abdulsalami Abubakar. By 1993, the arrangement was slightly threatened but remained cohesive with 'Baba' "stepping aside" for Abacha to continue the relay race after painlessly shoving Shonekan aside.
But Abacha failed to learn that in a relay race, one runs his bit and then pass on the torch, for continuity and in furtherance of team interest. It took God's intervention; some believe "the arrangement," not only to snatch the baton of political power from a determined Abacha, but more importantly, to get the race going. Twenty years later the parade commander at General Obasanjo's handover, handed over power back to the same Obasanjo.
Obasanjo became an elected president courtesy of the likes of "Baba"-who had told his fellow countrymen and women in 1993 that he was merely "stepping aside". But now, the arrangement seems shaky once again.
President Obasanjo appears to have decided to take a second lap as against his team mate's desire to quickly return to the house he built on the rock, called "Aso."
I am afraid, "the evil genius "is going to prove his political dexterity, once again, come 2003. He has his hands in virtually all the political associations and parties in the land. He has consistently posited that he would not vie for presidency should Obasanjo decide to continue in the year 2003, yet his machinery is in motion: his posters now adorn the major roads and cities in Nigeria, but not on any building. I would certainly not risk having his posters on my street, let alone, on my house. Why would a man who has against the law of decency civility. and fairness. refused to appear before the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission to reconcile his past with the present, be hoping to step into where he unceremoniously stepped out of? Perhaps, Professor Omo Omoruyi's advice in his open letter to "Maradona" says it all: Babangida should seize the opportunity of the Oputa panel to beg Nigerians for forgiveness.
It is unlikely that IBB would take to Prof. Omoruyi's advice. But, it is unlikely also, that IBB is sober at 60. For all we know, it could be yet another colour from the legendary coat a vast majority of our political leaders need, but whom we the masses love to hate.
<i>Nwadishi is on the staff of THISDAY</i>
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