For Ibrahim Babangida, Nigeria’s former President  Ordinarily, one would not bother to write on or about IBB in the Nigerian contemporary discourse since he is a failed military Head of State and a failed and a disgraced general. But at every turn of event, he has many paid sycophants and paid agents who will continue to dish out blatant lies to try to re-write and  turn history on its heads.

At this age and time where every and all information are at everybody’s finger  tips, it is still surprising that Babangida and his agents can still lie in the  village square.

Take IBB’s BBC Hausa Service interview for example. He blatantly lied that he met the Naira selling for 4.5 to the US dollar. We do not expect a former military Head of State and who is even desiring to rule Nigeria again to lie on petty issues like the Naira exchange rate in 1985. Babangida is said to be about 69 years now. If at this age he can lie on petty things like that, what morals will  he teach his children and grandchildren?

Let us assume again that in his dreams he becomes the Head of State of Nigeria, it is then clear to all Nigerians that  his government will be built on lies and deceit. For the information of the readers of this article, as at 27th August 1985 when IBB staged his coup, the Naira was exchanging  0.765 Naira=one US dollar. But by the time he was chased out of Aso Rock Villa by bloody civilians on 26th August 1993, the Naira was exchanging for 21.9 Naira to one US dollars. Source: Central Bank of Nigeria at www.cenbank.org. Http://web.archive.org.

That is one of the many lies of IBB. As a sane human being one will start wondering  on what ground Babangida wants the Nigerian government to  immortalise Chief MKO Abiola? Unfortunately some of us are never opportuned to come close to the disgraced general to put some of these questions across to him. The way Babangida opens his mouth tells everyone truly that he is a man without conscience.

But I don’t blame IBB, the youth he has castigated for lack of quality education  and leadership though through no fault of theirs is the same youth now busy campaigning for IBB to come and finish his unfinished job he started in 1985 and was abruptly terminated by force of civilians in 1993. To be fair to the Nigerian youth it is only some misguided few. But if IBB was still interested in power why did he quit it in 1993? There was no military coup against him, he did not conduct an election and honourably handed over to the winner like OBJ or Abdulsalami. Why did he leave power unceremoniously then?

But on what basis is he advocating for  Chief MKO Abiola to be immortalized now?  Is it on the basis of the fact that he was the winner of the June 12 1993 election? What a self indictment by IBB.

You see, the truth has a way of  bringing itself to the fore.

Coming to those defending Babangida that he was rich before he became military   Head of State. Going through Babangida’s biography, you will discover that he was orphaned at 4 years and was brought up by his uncle. Joined the army at 21 years and he bought his first Vespa motor cycle as an Army Major in 1969/70. All his life he was a military officer like Generals Buhari, Mamman Vatsa, Magoro and many others. Where then did he get his wealth that his agents are defending that he was rich before he became the Head of State. Or was IBB in a different army from the one Generals Buhari and Mamman Vatsa were in? Agreed that it is said most of Nigerians have collective amnesia, but not when it comes to people who stole Nigeria dry and still flaunt this our stolen commonwealth scornfully in our face.

Ordinarily if IBB could stay quietly in his 50 bedroom hilltop house and enjoy his loot, we will definitely forget with time since time they say is the greatest  healer. But it becomes annoying and irritating when he comes from his hibernation from time to time to add insult to the injury he had inflicted on us by insulting our collective intelligence. Even children in primary schools in Nigeria and Ghana  have been taught that Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida is the father of corruption in modern Nigeria.

 That he misappropriated $12.4 billion US dollars gulf war oil windfall.

We are still wondering what his paid agents are defending.

Whatever Babangida and his paid agents say, Babangida has no moral or legal right to contest for any elective post in Nigeria anymore. By the singular act of annulling the June 12, 1993, he had sold his democratic right to participate in election. We know he has no conscience but we still remind him that the old legal adage says that “He who comes to equity must come with clean hands” and “He who wants equity must do equity.” Let IBB ask himself whether he has passed these basic tests when it comes to his role in June 12 1993 election annulment. An apology can never be an atonement for June 12 annulment. What about  the 40 or 400 billion Naira wasted.

What of the millions of those killed in the aftermath of the riot that followed that annulment? Criminal trial is the appropriate atonement. Any evil done by man will be redressed  whether here or in the hereafter. This is my personal opinion.

 ndiame_2005@yahoo.co.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ndiameeh Babrik