Why IBB Won't Give Up
By Reuben Abati

I think I know why former President Ibrahim Babangida won't give up on his ambition to return to Aso Villa as Nigeria's President. The reason is deeply rooted in the nature of the Nigerian state and society, IBB's understanding of it, and his belief that he can ride the storm, and win whatever battles are being waged against him in the court of public opinion. It will be na�ve to assume that IBB is not aware of the strong opposition to his proposed candidature in the 2007 Presidential elections. He has been attacked to no end by opinion writers who hold him responsible for the failure of the Nigerian state. Books have been written about how he destroyed the Nigerian economy through the introduction of a culture of graft, and the promotion of nepotism. He has also not been forgiven for annulling the Presidential election of June 12, 1993.

In a particularly remarkable book, 2007: The IBB Option by Joe Igbokwe and Peter Claver Oparah, the man is further accused of every evil under the sun. On the internet, there is a special website that is devoted to the anti-Babangida campaign. No man has attracted as much passion and hate in recent Nigerian history. Once, his pair of slippers was allegedly stolen at the Minna mosque! The general impression is that the thief must have done so deliberately. But is IBB bothered? I don't think so. In other societies, this man's ambition would have been determined by his popularity rating. His strategists would have studied his ratings in the polls and he would have been advised not to waste his time. But why is IBB so confident that the PDP and ultimately the Nigerian people will accept him?

On Wednesday, he finally brought his hide and seek game on the question of the 2007 elections to an end when he went to the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja to pick up a nomination form for the party's Presidential primaries. His reception at the PDP secretariat was grand but suspicious. He was accompanied by his supporters, who were principally members of his government when he served as President. He was escorted by the nation's security agencies including the police, the SSS, the Civil Defence Corps and the Federal Road Safety Commission. The Inspector General of Police also had to abandon more important issues to oversee security arrangements for the former President!

It took IBB about 25 minutes to cover a distance of 15 metres into the PDP premises. He made a speech in which he no longer spoke of his plans to "renew Nigeria", but of his commitment to President Obasanjo's reform programmes. Even the PDP Chairman, Ahmadu Ali was so excited, he allowed himself the indulgence of declaring that IBB's entry into the "Presidential race in the PDP shows that it is the party to beat". The entire ceremony was so ludicrous, you would be tempted to think that the PDP has already chosen its Presidential flagbearer. Ahmadu Ali should wait for the party primaries. His assignment is to ensure a free and fair process, not to pre-empt the process by praising one candidate unfairly. Other aspirants had gone to the Wadata Plaza, the PDP Secretariat, to collect nomination forms, nobody paid any attention to them. The way these things go in Nigeria, there may be an unspoken attempt by the PDP elite to use IBB to facilitate a "hidden agenda".

IBB spoke about the importance of voters in the electoral process. We should thank him, shouldn't we? for remembering us, we, the ordinary things of Nigeria. In 1993, he did not believe in the powers of the same voter that he is now eulogising. What lessons has he learnt since then? The only reason a Babangida with his past record can stand up publicly in Nigeria and seek power for a second time is because he knows too well, that Nigerians forget too easily, and that we are capable of rationalising anything. We do not always judge people on the basis of their ability or achievements. Our standards of evaluation are tainted by emotion and fear. Our moral values are inverted. A nation that loses its own memory is doomed, and because we do not have a sense of history, or a framework of morality, charlatans often present themselves for public office, knowing that they could easily get that which they seek.

Was it not here that a former Inspector-General of Police told us that many of the people in the National Assembly at a time had been investigated by the police for one crime or the other? Babangida can stand up and rewrite history and get away with it, because not many Nigerians still bother about the past. In recent times, the leaders of Ijaw and Ndokwa tried to make a difference when they announced that certain persons who had conducted themselves badly as public servants would not be allowed by the community to seek public office again. That kind of action is unusual.

IBB knows that it is possible to rent a crowd in this country and create an impression of momentum and acceptance. The large crowd which caused traffic hold up for 25 minutes on a 15 kilometre stretch, pretending to be supporting the retired General, was obviously rented. If not, then the size of that crowd confirms the terrible nature of our circumstances. IBB wants to be President, and he has done an outing service, because anything is possible in this country. He knows that the articulate crowd that is busy criticising him on the pages of the press and the internet may not vote on election day. The ordinary people who would go out to vote can be influenced on election day. In any case, the party primaries and the later elections can be rigged. If the PDP Chairman is already kow-towing to General Babangida, does he know something that the rest of us do not know? IBB is ambitious because there is no shortage of sycophants around him who must be telling him that he is popular and that he is "the messiah" that Nigeria needs.

Consider the following statement for example which tumbled from the mouth of one Obi Mbadiwe, a self-styled IBB for president campaigner: He says: "People keeping making the same mistake about leadership in our country, Nigeria. There must be something unacceptable about every leader: Gen. Buhari is a religious bigot. Ukiwe is an Igboman and it's the turn of the South-South, Odili is OBJ's boy and therefore he's not suitable. Duke is a neophyte and it's not about entertainment. Jerry Gana is a joker and very talkative, Atiku is a para-military man and he's not in OBJ's good books, Muazu is inexperienced, Orji Kalu is (a) rabble rouser, Chris Okotie is a preacher and therefore very sentimental, Pat Utomi will make a better Senator than President and the Presidency is about practicals, not theories. Victor Attah should settle for one - either President or Vice President and not chasing shadows; Bafarawa is lost in the pack, Baba is considered a double agent and a sell-out, Buba Marwa is a sojourner. Yerima is simply overzealous and actually trying at it, Rochas Okorocha is doing a fanfare jamboree in charitable style. Critics will always find something to say about every aspirant, so I am not surprised when a section of the elite says some of these things about IBB. How many of them vote on election day? Go out there and ask the masses, the real electorate, and you'll be surprised how hugely popular IBB is with them and how desperately want him back." (The Sun, Saturday, November 11, 2006 at page 8).

Is this the quality of reasoning in the IBB campaign group? But Obi Mbadiwe is wrong on all scores. Meanwhile, there is no shortage of Pastors and seers who are also campaigning for IBB as in the case of one Archbishop John Obiekeke who is also quoted in the Saturday Sun at page 54, that "he had been told earlier by God to ask General Babangida to indicate interest, he (IBB) would have died or been killed by God if he had refused that call." May be the media is also part of the problem. We keep reporting IBB; we publish his photographs on our front pages, we continue to write about him. He obviously treats our commentaries and the attention we pay to him as free campaign material, as a veritable signal of his relevance!

With his declaration of interest in the Presidency of Nigeria, he has thrown a challenge to all Nigerians: to our sense of justice and decency. He is determined to exercise his rights as a free citizen. We cannot legitimately deny him that. But at the PDP primaries, the delegates have a historic task to perform. They must choose as PDP flagbearer, a man that Nigerians can identify with, and that man needs not be IBB. And should IBB win the PDP ticket, the Nigerian people must feel challenged to use the power of their vote. We do not hate IBB but we should love Nigeria. A man who had demonstrated such disdain for democracy should not be rewarded with another shot at the Presidency. His emergence as a candidate can only have the effect of deepening growing pessimism about Nigeria's immediate future.

Now let Joe Igbokwe and Peter Claver Oparah have the last word on this matter. In the preface to their book, they write instructively as follows: "This book, in focusing the klieglights on Babangida and his misdeeds while in power, is merely trying to locate history in its rightful prisms and hold leaders accountable to their deeds in power. That Babangida scripted the template for the present rudderless drift of the state is a fact of history that had not been challenged beyond the feckless efforts of the court jesters around him to manipulate and re-mould history to their favour. That he must answer for his misdeeds is a fact that we hold sacred..." Obi Mbadiwe: any problem with this?

Amazing Falcons
The Super Falcons, the country's national female football team did Nigeria proud yesterday when they won for a record fifth, consecutive time, the finals of the 5th African Women's Championship. The Falcons were amazing, beating the Ghanaian female team at the Warri Township Stadium, 1-0, not too far away from the very spot where an OAS helicopter had crashed less than 24 hours earlier.

The tragedy of the plane crash in Warri, the fifth plane crash within one year, simply shows us that the crisis in the aviation sector is quite serious indeed; the Federal Government would need to move beyond the trading of blames and the kind of fire-brigade measures which the new aviation Minister appears to be contemplating. The rot is deeper.

But the victory of the Falcons is one of those undeserved events that provide us a respite in this season of anxiety. Issa Hayatou, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) was full of praise for the girls. According to him, "it will not be difficult to see the Super Falcons of Nigeria come back with the World Cup trophy in the nearest future." He then asked other African countries to "emulate the footsteps of Nigeria in the area of women's football development." The caveat to this is that the consistency of the Super Falcons and their sterling performance is to be traced not to the administration of football in Nigeria, but the commitment of the players, their love of the game, their resourcefulness.

The NFA is in disarray. The Sports Ministry is not doing much for the sports. Many of our stadia are no better than those old backyard pitches where school children kicked balls around. Maureen Madu, Perpetua Nkwocha, Cynthia Uwak, Precious Dede, Stella Mbachu, Ifeanyi Chiejine, Efioanwan Ekpo, Kikelomo Ajayi, and all the other girls were simply marvellous, beating Equitorial Guinea (4 - 2), Algeria (6 -0), South Africa (2 - 0) and Cameroon (5- 0), to get to the finals. They continue to excel in spite of their country. This is the sad truth!

Please note that two Nigerian girls, born and bred in Equitorial Guinea, also played in the early rounds of the tournament for their other country, and one of them, Chinasa Okoro, actually scored a goal against Nigeria, although she had been warned by her father, back home in Malabor, not to do so. She was booed by the Warri crowd.

Members of the Falcons team and their coach, Ntiero Effiom, deserve to be on the National Honours list. They have brought us good news and reminded us of the beauty of the human resource in this much-abused country. They deserve the President's handshake and something more. Thanks, girls. Congratulations.

Robot  # 1 | 12.11.2006 02:18

I think I know why former President Ibrahim Babangida won't give up on his ambiti...Read the full article.

Auspicious  # 2 | 12.11.2006 02:54

Auspicious: Heheheeheh! Hohohohohohoho! Hahahaahahaahah! Olorun mi o! Auspivoice: Eeese? (What is it?) Wetin dey laff yu so? Auspicious: Hoooohohohohoho! Teeheheheheehe! Buhahahahaahahaha! Auspivoice: Stop am joo! Yu no say u dey disturb ya naybors! Wetin dey laff yu jare? Auspicious: Ojigbijigbijigbijigbi! Heeehehehehehehe! Ah! Naijeriya! Take, read am yaself. Auspivoice: (Collects newspaper) "IBB to run in 2007". Ehn-hen? Na wai u dey laff be dis? Auspicious: Haaahahahahaha! Oh my kontri! My dear kontri! Hoohohohoh! Auspivoice: LOOK, STOP ALL DIS NONSENSE NOISE JARE! Auspicious: Hehehe! Waaai?!? Waaaaaaai! (begins to sob uncontrollably!) Auspivoice: Guy, yu shuor say yu dey OK? Auspicious: My kontri don turn wor-wor! Booohoohoohoo! Somebody kill dat man for me! Auspivoice: Siddon dia, nor go kill am yaself. Yu tink say oda pepo no dey tink like u? Auspicious: Hoooohohoho! Booohohoho! Waaaaai?!? Baba God o! Kom chase dis devo komot ooo! Heeeeee! (Wailing). Auspivoice: Oya, dey go ya haus. Ya wifey dey wetey yu. Nor kom crase for my haus abeg. WHICH WAY NIGERIA? Auspicious.

Auspicious  # 3 | 12.11.2006 03:04

Like joke, like joke..this guy might just catch us all unawares. Auspicious. Babangida: Nigeria's "evil genius" enters 2007 presidential race by Ade Obisesan Sat Nov 11, 9:20 PM ET LAGOS (AFP) - General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, the former military dictator better known as "IBB" who ruled Nigeria with a rod of iron for eight years and who once dubbed himself "the evil genius", is determined to contest the 2007 elections and to win back the presidential seat he occupied from 1985 to 1993. The 65-year-old retired general, who trained in Britain and the US, aims to replace incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo, who will step down in May after two terms in office. A Hausa Muslim from Nigeria's north-central Niger State, General Babangida is undoubtedly the country's most controversial head of state since independence in 1960. To see how influential IBB remains 13 years after leaving power one only has to look at the list of guests who attended his daughter's wedding recently: 20,000 guests in all, including former heads of state, 31 out of a total of 36 state governors and 132 Nigerian parliamentarians. The Nigerian media nicknamed him "Maradona" after the Argentine football legend of the same name, for his political dribbling skills. His acolytes praise a tough military officer and a courageous leader. His detractors call him ruthless. Babangida's peers in the military school in the northern city of Zaria where he trained in the early 1960s used to call him "Mr Courage". In the face of stiff opposition, in 1986, shortly after coming to power, he pushed through the World Bank/IMF-inspired Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in an attempt to revive the nation's languishing economy. On February 13, 1976, Babangida, then a colonel, without even picking up a firearm single-handedly disarmed the leader of a bloody coup, Lieutenant Colonel Bukar Sukar Dimka, thus thwarting the whole coup attempt. (REALLY? NA JAZZ?) Babangida was intolerant of opposition and clamped down on any challenge to his administration, even if such challenges came from close friends. In 1986, shortly after coming to power, he executed his bosom friend and then minister of the Federal Capital Territory, General Mamman Vatsa, and dozens of other officers convicted of involvement in a failed coup plot against him. Scores of military officers and civilians convicted of involvement in another failed coup attempt four years later were also executed despite local and international plea for clemency. For many though, Babangida, with his toothy smile, is synonymous with corruption, the depreciation of the country's currency and general economic mismangement. He is widely believed to have siphoned off tens of millions of dollars during his time in office and he looks the most wealthy of all the 2007 presidential hopefuls. His critics allege he mismanaged or stole the some 12 billion dollars Nigeria made from oil sales during the Gulf War. "Babangida promoted the culture of corruption into national ethos," one newspaper columnist wrote. "If God were a Nigerian, Babangida would have attempted to bribe him," said another. The Babangida administration made many Nigerians and foreigners, including Lebanese, Israeli and Indian nationals millionaires overnight through the award of juicy contracts. Observers say the friends he made or bought whilst in power will prove useful now that he attempts to return to power. "I can die for Babangida," one of his best known and most vocal campaigners, Alex Akinyele, his former information minister, was quoted as saying. ('E be like say Babangida don give dis one brokos chop. I no go dey suprise if I hia say eim na IBB 'boyfriend') On the international scene, the general restored diplomatic ties with the state of Israel, opened more Nigerian foreign missions, made his country a member of the Organisation of Islamic Conference, and as chairman of the Organization of African Unity from 1991 to 1992, represented the continent in many international fora. Whether or not Babangida returns to power will hinge on how well he can explain away the rampant corruption that marred his tenure, the execution of Vatsa, his alleged mismanagement of the Gulf War oil "windfall" and the economy in general, and lastly his annulment of the June 12, 1993 elections, widely considered to be the nation's fairest and freest so far. "These issues are the albatross hanging on the neck of Babangida and his handling of them will spell his political future," Segun Adeite, a political analyst, said.

Djister  # 4 | 12.11.2006 05:11

I think I know why former President Ibrahim Babangida won't give up on his ambiti..REUBEN ABATI Bros Reuby, I wake up this morning to your commentary and I am happy to recommend this one for an award o! I very rarely agree with your approach/focus on these matters but his time na you win, carry go! My Highlights The reason is deeply rooted in the nature of the Nigerian state and society, IBB's understanding of it, His reception at the PDP secretariat was grand but suspicious. He was accompanied by his supporters, who were principally members of his government when he served as President. He was escorted by the nation's security agencies including the police, the SSS, the Civil Defence Corps and the Federal Road Safety Commission. The Inspector General of Police also had to abandon more important issues to oversee security arrangements for the former President! ..commitment to President Obasanjo's reform programmes. Even the PDP Chairman, Ahmadu Ali was so excited, he allowed himself the indulgence of declaring that IBB's entry into the "Presidential race in the PDP shows that it is the party to beat". The only reason a Babangida with his past record can stand up publicly in Nigeria and seek power for a second time is because he knows too well, that Nigerians forget too easily, and that we are capable of rationalising anything. We do not always judge people on the basis of their ability or achievements. Our standards of evaluation are tainted by emotion and fear. Our moral values are inverted. The large crowd which caused traffic hold up for 25 minutes on a 15 kilometre stretch, pretending to be supporting the retired General, was obviously rented. If not, then the size of that crowd confirms the terrible nature of our circumstances. IBB wants to be President, and he has done an outing service, because anything is possible in this country. He knows that the articulate crowd that is busy criticising him on the pages of the press and the internet may not vote on election day. The ordinary people who would go out to vote can be influenced on election day. In any case, the party primaries and the later elections can be rigged. If the PDP Chairman is already kow-towing to General Babangida, does he know something that the rest of us do not know? Meanwhile, there is no shortage of Pastors and seers who are also campaigning for IBB as in the case of one Archbishop John Obiekeke who is also quoted in the Saturday Sun at page 54, that "he had been told earlier by God to ask General Babangida to indicate interest, he (IBB) would have died or been killed by God if he had refused that call." With his declaration of interest in the Presidency of Nigeria, he has thrown a challenge to all Nigerians: to our sense of justice and decency. He is determined to exercise his rights as a free citizen. We cannot legitimately deny him that. But at the PDP primaries, the delegates have a historic task to perform. They must choose as PDP flagbearer, a man that Nigerians can identify with, and that man needs not be IBB. And should IBB win the PDP ticket, the Nigerian people must feel challenged to use the power of their vote. I had implored the likes of you and Mr. Obaigbena to inform and educate. I am most glad that this sort of reprot puts out a clear objective picture of what we are up against. So I thank you. Make I go before Subu come back from church come catch me hia! Bros Reuby, I NOT HAVE NOTIN' TO SAY. ENJOY SUNDAY. @AUSPICIOUS Catch You by Surprise? Dis man will not pitch his tent in the PDP of all platforms if he does not have certain assurances. His ego is too large for him to intentionally opt to lose. He may have enough money to throw away just for the opportunity to be relevant but he knows something we dont know! Surprise ke? IBB will pacify all of the next generation by choosing Duke or someone like that from the South as VP. This will give the rest of us 'hope'. Igbo people say 'Hunger wey get Hope no dey kill'. SURPRISE KE?

Palamedes  # 5 | 12.11.2006 05:55

, and that we are capable of rationalising anything Do you mean NOT capable of rationalising anything. Anyway, did you see the Rivers State Governor Odili drinking £200-a-bottle champagne with a foreign journalist (of all people) for the world to see? It is said that understanding is the mother of memory. What more proof does anyone want to show that the intellectual (or understanding) qualities of most Nigerians (leaders and people) are very low; and that they are not as clever as they think they are? My anger is directed not so much at the thieving politicians as the gullible and culpable masses, who have become desensitized to privation, and pain-friendly. In fact, they have made Nigeria a nation of masochist and sadist leaders – leaders who torment a pain-friendly masses. How else can one explain the boldness of IBB, that genus of iniquity, even to contemplate standing for an election; a man who should be behind bars for the rest of life? What do you do with the Nigerian people when they are not ready for redemption? That man who once pushed them beyond pain to loss of sensitivity is back again and about to seek their mandate to lead them. It is a free world, and if more pain is what the masses want then let them have more IBB, Abacha, Saloth Sar (aka Pot Pol), Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hilter. I need a lie down to gather myself before I read the 'Amazing Falcons'.

techsista  # 6 | 12.11.2006 09:51

Go Falcons! Help teach Maradona that he will need a lot more more than dribbling prowess this time around. Show my people that the only way something becomes inevitable is when they sit back and embrace a total failure of imagination. @Djister - I've read your posts about reality. You are right about many things with regards to Nigeria's political scene. I especially liked your point in another thread about filling the senate with Utomi or Duke type progressives, making a thieving president less relevant and less likely to be able to get away with thievery. What, in your opinion, will it take to get the every day working Nigerian to see the difference between say an Utomi presidency and a Babangida one? (Please don't say 100 years of reeducation oh :-).

BiafranPrincess  # 7 | 12.11.2006 14:47

With the little understanding I have of IBB's cunning and understanding of the Nigerian psyche, I will not be surprised if he picks either Duke or Akunyili as running mate. And then, have all of us hoodeinked into saying the duo is a better evil than any other combination out there. If we had a truly representative senate filled with men/women of intergrity, an IBB presidency will be very easy to check but when ghana must go is all that rules, we all had better pray that the PDP delegates would vote for a credible candidate (read: NOT IBB). In all of this OBJ's action is suspect cos if he's sincere that his reason for barring Atiku from contesting the presidency is corruption, then HELLO! Shouldn't IBB get the axe too or are we to believe that Atiku is a greater evil to Nigeria than IBB? In the spirit of warped fairness, let Atiku also be given a chance to contest the primaries andlet the real demystication begins. At least of three masquerades-OBJ, IBB, ATIKU, all may be finally demystified or at most only one will come out on top. For all we know, IBB and OBJ may be working together to cripple Atiku and clear the way for IBB a la the secret pact of 1999. Funny too how Ribadu has been quiet about all this. Thought he promised us IBB would definitely be nailed. Are we to believe IBB is such a clever crook that no single shred of evidence has been found by the EFCC? Who is zooming who? Am I being overly perverse for secretly wishing that some of these so called leaders would just DIE!!! Like can someone just throw a bomb at the convention ground on DEC 16 or something......lol. Now u know the situation is Naija is making me go a little loco...

Naija for life  # 8 | 12.11.2006 16:39

The following lyrics from the song "Sorrow, Tears and Blood" by Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, explains why Babangida will become the next president of Nigeria if he chooses. My people self dey fear too much Dem dey fear for the thing we no see Dem they fear for the air around us We fear to fight for freedom We fear to fight for liberty We fear to fight for justice We fear to fight for happiness We always get reason to fear We no want die We no want quench My mama dey for house My pikin dey for house I get one wife I get one car I get one house

Auspicious  # 9 | 12.11.2006 17:25

True talk there, NFL. It is interesting how Abamieda's words still ring true to date. But then again, who will be the first to burst somebody's nut such that the elite will be made to understand that they need to stop taking us for granted in Nigeria? Auspicious? NFL? Big K? Soul Sista? Techsista? Djister? Who will cast the first stone? Who will ignote the revolution? Auspicious.

Chekereke  # 10 | 13.11.2006 09:41

The average Nigerian turns to God when all hope is lost. That is why there has been an explosion in the number of churches, mosques and religious movements over the last few years in nigeria. My people, am afraid to say that God is our only option now! We must all fall on our knees and start praying for the God that delivered us from the evil Sani Abacha to act again. Because as rightly pointed out earlier, "everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die"! We all know that the elections will be a farce. It will be an army arrangement (may the Abami rest in peace), and whether we vote or not, they'll put whoever the VIPs (vagabonds in power) want to rule there. And we will not be bold enough to fight against them, because we are eating the crumbs that fall from their table. So let's start lighting candles and incense, ringing bells and chanting mantras. Let all religions unite in this war against IBB, for God is our only hope!

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