Bukar Usman
Book Title: A Journey in Service. Author: Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. Publisher: BookCraft, Ibadan. Year of Publication: 2025. Number of Pages: 420. Price: Not stated.
Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), now 83, had hinted in an interview he granted to TELL Magazine in 1995, about two years after his exit from office, that he was already working on his memoir. Since then, one could say, the nation had been anxiously waiting for the publication of the memoir. The anticipation was due to IBB’s extraordinary antecedents, particularly the controversies surrounding his assumption of and exit from power, his controversial transition to civil rule programme, his laissez-faire economic policies, as well as other roles he was perceived to have played in the military and in the political re-engineering of the country.
The long-awaited former military president’s memoir, a product of about 3 decades of reflections, was finally presented at the Congress Hall Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on February 20, 2025. Though the staggering amount of about 20 billion Naira realized at the occasion made instant news, the weightier outcome of the occasion consists of the revelations in the book about past key events, including the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election. There were also forceful and unfeigned remarks by high-profile personalities many of whom had helmed crucial public and private establishments during the Babangida era.
The 420-page memoir has 13 chapters spread across its five parts; there are also a copious appendices section and an epilogue. Apart from the chapter on June 12 (which happens to be Chapter 12 – what an intriguing coincidence!), I will conduct my review of this book roughly in the order in which the chapters and closing sections are presented.
Parts One and Two contain the chapters on Babangida’s early years: his birth, parentage, upbringing, education, and enlistment into the Nigerian Army. His promising leadership qualities manifested when he was appointed a Head Boy in Provincial Secondary School, Bida, Niger State. He joined the army in 1962; the portions of the book about his strictly military roles leave no one in doubt that IBB’s 8-year public service as military President of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces was preceded by a distinguished professional military career that saw him rising from his enlistment as Cadet in 1962 to the post of Chief of Army Staff in 1984. In the process, he faced several notable challenges that brought out his bravery and gallantry, among other leadership qualities that endeared him to not only the rank-and-file and officer corps of his immediate constituency, the elite Armoured Corps of the Nigerian Army, but also the generality of members of the Nigerian Armed Forces. Indeed, the reputation and popularity of the gap-toothed General extended beyond the military to the Nigerian population. Many who had close contact with him, including this reviewer, would attest to his personableness and sharp memory.
One testimony to his gallantry and bravery was his participation in the prosecution of the Nigerian civil war as a Major and Commander of 82 Battalion in 1969. He was wounded in the war which left a physical scar on him to this day. Another was leading troops to the Radio House in Lagos to flush out Major Buka Suka Dimka and his soldiers who were in the process of overthrowing the government of General Murtala Mohammed in 1976.
In Part Three, Babangida discussed, among other topics, the overall impact of military interventions in Nigeria and drew the conclusion that military administrations, in spite of real or perceived shortcomings, made major ‘unquantifiable contributions’ to the growth and development of Nigeria. Notable examples of these contributions, according to him, included structural balancing of the polity via states creation exercises; establishment of the National Youth Service Corps; introduction of Universal Free Primary Education Scheme; attempts at creating institutions that outlive everyone, e.g. People’s/Community Banks; monumental infrastructural developments that opened up the country; exemplary UN peacekeeping roles played by Nigeria.
He also cited economic restructuring of the country as a major contribution of military administrations, although virtually all the examples he cited took place during his own administration. Inspired by three Chinese axiomatic expressions (“The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step”, “Let a million flowers bloom”, and “It does not matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice”), President Babangida freed up the economy from government control and introduced open-market principles that enhanced import substitution and led to greater liberalization of the media, banking, airline, textile and agro-allied industries sectors. There was, however, neglect of ‘agriculture’ and over reliance on oil, for which he expressed regret. Unfortunately, some of these policies and programmes, like the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), evoked serious protests alleged to have been instigated by adversaries, mostly politicians and ideologues in the academic community. This is discussed in Chapter 8.
IBB is of the opinion that in spite of efforts made at restructuring and constitutional reviews, Nigeria’s continued existence as a united country is hinged on the attitude of the citizens and on the country’s capacity to build and sustain durable institutions, like those in successful developed countries. As he puts it, “…most of our problems are attitudinal. In other words, you can have the best laws in the world, the best constitution in the universe, and even the most committed leaders; however, if the attitude of the key political players remains unchanged from retrogressive set ways, nothing will change…institutions matter because they endure, they outlive us” (pages 114-115).
Foreign policy is discussed in Chapter 9 and Appendix III where IBB revealed that Nigeria’s foreign policy initiatives during his dispensation were rooted in ‘Afrocentric Activism’ and ‘soft power’ projection. Examples of such initiatives were Nigeria’s demands for enlargement of UN Security Council permanent membership to include representatives of African countries and appointment of an African as United Nations Secretary-General. It was following IBB’s address to the UN General Assembly that Boutrous Boutrous-Ghali of Egypt was appointed UN Secretary-General and was succeeded in that capacity by a Ghanaian Kofi Atta Anan. IBB further discussed Nigeria’s demand for appointment of an African as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. It was this demand that also led to the appointment of Chief Emeka Anyaoku as Commonwealth Secretary-General. The following events also took place under the tenure of IBB; military intervention in Liberia that ended the civil war and brought peace in that country; and restoration of relations with Israel. Other foreign policy programmes undertaken by the Babangida administration were formation of Concert of Medium Powers after the end of the Cold War as an alternate forum for the Non-Aligned states; establishment of Technical Aid Corps to enable Nigeria supply much-needed manpower to other developing countries; hosting of Organization of African Unity (OAU) Summit as alternate venue to Addis Ababa which was under serious threat of being overrun by dissidents, who, indeed, succeeded in doing so; and the institution of ‘Economic Diplomacy’ as centre-piece of Nigeria’s foreign policy.
In Chapter 10, Babangida narrated in detail the major events that evoked opposition to his rule and led to acts of destabilization. He cited the following as the causes of the main incumbency challenges his administration faced: Death of Dele Giwa by parcel bomb; the Mamman Vatsa attempted coup; Gideon Orkar attempted coup; alleged Nigeria’s membership of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC); Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) riots against rising cost of living and upward adjustment of fuel prices; and the NAF C-130 Air Crash that killed 159 officers of the various armed services.
Lindsay Chervinsky, author of The Cabinet, has pointedly noted that “For as long as men have wielded power, women have facilitated their reigns.” IBB fleshed out the truth of this view in Chapter 11 where he discussed his dear wife, Maryam, who ably managed his Home Front. According to him, one of the criteria the Army uses in judging its officers is maintaining a stable family. This he got from his dear spouse Maryam of blessed memory, to whom he devoted the entire chapter. He wrote about her upbringing, the circumstances of their marriage, her activism as President of the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), her roles as First Lady and Chairperson of Better Life for Rural Women. IBB talked about her diligence, discipline, energy and sense of purpose which were evident in all her roles:
Sometimes, I felt that 24 hours was insufficient for her in one day. She was a wife, a mother, a housewife, a passionate advocate for rural women, and most of all, a partner. She was very close to the children and knew what they were doing at every point. We decided together what was best for them and sought to shield them as best as we could from the rough and tumble of living in the public eye. We didn’t want our perceived faults and shortcomings to rub off on our children.
I am grateful for the life Maryam and I shared and for the fruit of our union. Coping without her has not been easy, but it has been made much less demanding by the memories of our life together and the length of her shadow (p.236).
In the last Chapter of the book (Chapter 13), IBB discussed his life after retirement stating that upon retirement to Minna his home-place on August 27, 1993, he assumed the status of a non-partisan pan-Nigerian statesman open to and sharing his experiences and vision with all category of persons and groups, the young and old. According to him, to date, no week passes without him playing host to visitors.
At the end of it all, IBB noted with delight that by and large there is an unquestionable acceptance of Nigeria as a united, strong, and indivisible federation. In a bid to sustain and strengthen this vision of Nigeria, he dedicated the book’s epilogue (6 pages) to 30-year-old Nigerian youths (the next generation) and charged them to be better-informed, pan-Nigerian and global citizens with shared dreams and desires in an advanced technological world. He advised them to know their country, make connections, serve to the best of their abilities, combine compassion with ruthless decisiveness in leadership and above all embrace fundamental minimum ingredients of Nigeria’s nationhood that must not be toyed with. Christened as ‘no go areas’, they include federalism, constitutional republican democracy, diversity, secularity and inclusiveness. They should also bear in mind always that Nigeria remains the most significant black nation in the world and that the future belongs to them.
‘Acknowledgments’ that traditionally come at the beginning of a book are left to the end in IBB’s book, which is dedicated to his parents and his wife Maryam of blessed memory who uplifted and gave meaning to his life. It is also dedicated to fallen heroes. IBB says that the book is a testament to a collective effort of several persons, many of whom he mentioned and appreciated.
There are 6 appendices that take a sizable portion of the book (81 pages). Appendix I is a full-length reproduction of IBB’s maiden address on August 27,1985 upon assumption of the reigns of government after overthrowing then Major-General Muhammadu Buhari. Appendix II carries an extensive interview with TELL Magazine on July 24, 1995 in which IBB out of office was drilled at length about June 12 and in which he dropped the hint that he was already working on his memoir. Appendix III is IBB’s address to UN General Assembly delivered in his capacity as Nigerian President and Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on October 4,1991 in which he called for a New World Order to address Africa’s concerns and development. Appendix IV is a 2-page statistical result of votes scored by the two leading candidates in the controversial Presidential Election of June 12, 1993. The schedule clearly records that Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola met the required votes in 20 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) while Othman Tofa won in 11. Appendix V is IBB’s address to the National Assembly members-elect on July 27, 1992 on a New National Order. Appendix VI brings about an end to the book. It was IBB’s lecture to a symposium on “The Babangida Regime: Problems and Perspective of Interpretation” organised by the Open Press Ltd and The African Centre for Social and Political Research, held at the Hill Station Hotel, Jos, October 13-15, 2000.
This brings us to Chapter 12, the longest chapter of the book, which I chose to discuss last in this review because it is devoted to the annulment of the June 12 Presidential Election – the single most controversial act of the Babangida era. Much of the details and the controversies about June 12 evoked after the book’s presentation are already in the public domain. Suffice it to say that much of the controversy surrounds the narrative on who and who were responsible for the annulment that threatened the existence of the country. While IBB alleges that forces in the military led by Gen Sani Abacha were responsible for the annulment, his adversaries contend that since the annulment took place under his presidency, it is wrong to hang it on the neck of Abacha, more so when IBB was in a position to stand his ground, notwithstanding the reported serious threats to his life and the lives of those around him. Denying that his actions were motivated by self-survival, IBB maintains that his actions were dictated more by national interest, perception and interpretation of all the happenings then. As he put it, “…I decided it was better to keep the annulment of the 1993 Presidential Election rather than end with a full-blown conflagration that could have spelt the end of a great country” (p.288).
Babangida’s A Journey in Service should interest everyone, someone said, because it contains the good, the bad and the ugly. I think that beyond the issue of June 12, the overriding value of IBB’s memoir is that it tells the story of a Nigerian leader who superintended over a period of unusual developments marked by unprecedented political and economic initiatives that, in varying degrees, reshaped the political and socio-economic landscape of this country. Babangida’s inventiveness included, among others, Option A4 (the grassroots-driven open-ballot electoral system that made it almost impossible to rig); creation of additional 11 states and additional 288 local governments; restructuring of the Nigerian Security Organization (NSO), leading to the creation of State Security Service (SSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA); deregulation of the economic sector and privatization of public enterprises; deregulation of the broadcast industry, leading to establishment of private radio and television stations; and accelerated relocation of Nigeria’s seat of government from Lagos to Abuja.
The annulment of the presidential election of June 12 1993 tends to over-shadow, some would say unfairly, the positive effects of the aforesaid unprecedented initiatives of the Babangida administration. Some readers of the Babangida narrative on June 12 think it is frank while others consider it one-sided, as some of those adversely affected are no longer alive to tell their stories. However, one may advise that everyone should take solace in what should be regarded as IBB’s ultimate submission on June 12: speaking during the presentation of his memoir on February 20, 2025, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, as reported by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), said, “Undoubtedly credible, free and fair elections were held on 12 June 1993. However, the tragic irony of history remains that the administration that devised a near-perfect electoral system and conducted those near-perfect elections could not complete the process. That accident of history is most regrettable. The nation is entitled to expect my expression of regret.” IBB also categorically said that M.K.O Abiola won the election.
It was an admission many considered courageous, one that might bring some closure to the June 12 saga. Babangida was speaking to an elite audience, which included the current president, four former heads of state of Nigeria and former presidents of Ghana and Liberia. It was the kind of stage he needed to present his version of what happened during his rule. Having read Babangida’s political memoir, which I consider quite revealing, I cannot but concur with David Torrance, journalist and author, that political memoirists write out of “a determination to set the terms of (their) legacy and how (they’ll) be remembered”. Whatever anyone’s view of Babangida, A Journey in Service invites all to read the motivating factors behind some of his leadership positions and actions.
Dr. Bukar Usman, OON, former Permanent Secretary in the Presidency
March 17, 2025
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The review by Dr. Bukar Usman was published by several dailies and online media. They include The Art Hub that published it online at https://thearthubng.com/my-takeaways-from-ibbs-autobiography/ on March 17, 2025; Taskar Gizago online at https://taskargizago.com.ng/2025/03/18/my-takeaways-from-ibbs-autobiography/ on March 18, 2025; the Daily Sun of March 21, 2025, P. 16 and online at https://thesun.ng/takeaways-from-ibbs-autobiography/?amp; Daily Independent e-Paper published it on March 22, 2025, Pp. 17 and 31 and online at https://independent.ng/my-takeaways-from-ibbs-autobiography/