News
OPINION: Babangida’s Journey And His Service
Published
6 months agoon
By
Editor
By Festus Adedayo
Since Thursday when his autobiography, A Journey In Service, was launched, former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has taken center-stage of national attention. The autobiography reminds me of James Hadley Chase’s Make the Corpse Walk. It is the story of eccentric millionaire, Kester Weidmann, who in his weirdest best, believed money could buy everything, life and death inclusive. So, one day, Weidmann woke up with the crazy idea that his dead brother could be brought back to life. He then enlisted the services of a voodoo specialist to perform this crazed task. Rollo, crooked nightclub, owner was his perfect find to act out this massive con artistry of a lifetime. Things however went awry with the cast of this weird task who soon told themselves that Weidmann’s wealth was more attractive a pie than his absurd voodoo fabrication.
A couple of weeks ago, I recall citing Dr. Nina Mba’s description of biographers as “People who knead people.” It was in the process of taking a bird’s-eye view of Chief Bisi Akande’s autobiography, My Participations. My interpretation of Mba’s phrasal coinage was that biographers knead their subjects like bakers make raw flour into edible pancake, doughnut or bread. I also found my own label for autobiographers. Many a times, I submitted, they are self-conjurers. A Journey In Service didn’t just attempt to knead an edible dough out of an IBB Nigerians would love to hate, it is a re-conjuration, a Nigerian Kester Weidmann retired Army General, ex-Head of State and military dictator’s attempt to knead a compelling dough from his raw self-perception in the estimation of history.
While the last 25 years of civilian rule have paraded accidents as leaders, Babangida wanted power, romanced power, was besotted by power and prepared for power, mentally and physically. While in office, his statecraft and style of leadership were a total lift from and replica portraiture of the precepts in The Prince, 16th century Italian writer, diplomat and politician, Niccolo Machiavelli’s famous but deadly portrait of and prescriptions for tough leadership.
To reinforce this and create a look-alike model of Machiavelli’s quintessential ruler, IBB garnished power with the deadly image of a lethal ruler. In the same vein, he decorated the cottage of power with the sweet icing of a patrimonial leader. Like Machiavelli, Babangida concentrated and centered power round himself. This gave semblance of a leadership that was people-centered, under the pretence of running a government that carried the people along. He was also unpredictable and eccentric with power, like the Machiavelli Prince, springing surprises at the drop of a hat, a portraiture that is also a dip into the playbook of Machiavelli. In the same way, like a concentration camp, he gathered people of contravening persuasions into government, sucking them in via gifts and purchase of their loyalties. Respected academics fell to his suasion through appointments while his smiles acted as facade to hide the graffiti of a sadistic rule.
MORE FROM THE AUTHOR: OPINION: Nuhu Ribadu’s Hell And Other Hellish Stories
Like Machiavelli, IBB believed in the withdrawal of force from his scabbard and unleashing it to silence opposition. In the same vein, his smilingly harmless look turned his opposition into jelly. For instance, he swayed hitherto unbending critics like Tai Solarin who he brought into the People’s Bank and subsequently humiliated. Babangida ran a government that was unpredictable and which he maneuvered to sustain his hold in office. He was a genie of a genius, deservedly earning the sobriquets of “evil genius” and “Maradona.” But, as a replay of the epic downfall of Emperors, rulers and suzerains of old has shown, wisdom kills the wise. Many times, they die in graveyards dug by the unwise. My people render this as “Ogbón pa ọlọgbọn ”.
Very few Nigerian leaders built institutions that endure like Babangida. In A Journey In Service, Babangida gave an impression of a ruler who was not driven by self to serve. Which was not completely true. By the time he vacated power in 1993, allegations of frittering off more than $14 Billion 1992 Gulf War oil windfall hung on his head like a Sword of Damocles.
While A Journey In Service contains the histrionics of Babangida’s eight-year rule, it sidestepped some basic realities that Nigerians had to grapple with within this period. Of all these, Babangida’s handling of the political transition programme of his administration would seem to be the hugest pain whose hurt has refused to disappear from the Nigerian backbone. This makes Chapter 12 of his memoir, which comes under the title “Transition to Civil Rule and the June 12 Saga” the most contentious of the autobiography. Therein, IBB made spirited efforts to explain off his clear mindedness and intention of bequeathing a civilian government to Nigerians. Data on ground however point at a self-vaunting ambition for life rule. He started off by rationalizing his government’s political agenda, beginning with the political bureau. The more he explained, the more he revealed gaping holes fraught with his demonstrable intention to transmute into a civilian president. His romance with diarchy is a clear example.
During the twilight of his rule, with the June 12 fiasco becoming a whirlwind, it was as if Babangida was shopping for justifications for the annulment of the election, right, left and center. At another time, he said the annulment of the election was due to the fact that some military officers had sworn that Abiola would never be president of Nigeria. He then glibly called for a new election which would still lead to the handing over of power on August 27, 1993, setting new criteria for eligibility to contest. The whirlwind eventually swept him off, with a quixotic admittance that he was “stepping aside” form power.
MORE FROM THE AUTHOR: OPINION: Bisi Akande, Poverty And Ige’s Death
A Journey In Service, while collating some of the events above, attempted to rationalize Babangida’s decisions for taking fatal decisions of state but fell face flat, and fatally, too. For instance, he attempted to state that he was not a power-besotting ruler, which was a wrong self-appraisal. As he retreated to Minna in August, 1993, palpable fears hovered in the polity that he would yet take over the reins of office of Nigerian president in the shortest time. On August 15, 2006, in an interview he granted the Financial Times, he gave inkling of his intention to fulfil this fear. He had vaguely told the newspaper that in 2007, he would run for office “under the banner of the Nigerian people”. Less than three months after, specifically on November 8, 2006, he showed up to pick the party nomination form of the PDP which the then chairman, Ahmadu Alli, personally issued him. Not long after, IBB timidly fled like a frightened cat, from his aspiration, citing as reason for the withdrawal which people found untenable. He had said that his withdrawal was due to a “moral dilemma” because the younger brother of Shehu Yar-Adua, his late military boss, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, was also in the race. The speculation was however that he ran inside his hole as a result of mounting opposition. Again, in September, 2010, the retired General expressed the desire to run for the 2011 presidential election but withdrew the intention almost immediately.
The book is also a fatal deconstruction of a Babangida whose heroism and valour were almost a legend before now. It would have been better if Babangida had continued playing the ostrich on June 12 by not talking about it at all. Nigerians, and indeed the world, would have continued to be beguiled by the facade picture of a tough hombre Babangida. In that wise, Babangida would have gone to his grave with the impression of a man of valour. Recall that, at some point in his rule, he had told a news-magazine that he loved dreaded military Generals, 19th century Shaka the Zulu, often depicted with a long throwing assegai and heavy shield; and Hannibal, a Carthaginian military general and statesman who led the forces of Carthage against the Roman Republic. When the interviewers reminded Babangida that both were ruthless and dreaded, he flashed his gap-tooth in a weird grin.
What we have in A Journey In Service is a pusillanimous army General that didn’t resemble the picture of General Babangida we had. The General in that book, on the outward, merely wears the epaulette of a valiant five-star General but was a buck-passer. How does the world reconcile the picture of a Babangida who fought valiantly in the civil war and got wounded in the process; one who smilingly and fearlessly almost disarmed Lt- Col Bukar Suka Dimka inside the Radio Nigeria studio; who had the steely heart to order the execution of his best friend, Mamman Vatsa, now selling himself the portraiture of a Sani Abacha bootlicker? The book is a portrait of a military General who didn’t want to die after Gideon Orkar fiercely dealt him a mortal blow inside the Dodan Barracks. It appears to every reader, back-grounded by what we heard in April 1990, though he refuted it, that aftermath his rescue by Abacha, a blood oath was made between the duo to hand over power to the Kanuri-born psychopath General. All the fatal decisions Babangida later took were predicated on this assumption. He was sore afraid of Abacha and his sadism and in the process, cost Nigerians their lives in their thousands, vicariously triggered the disequilibrium Nigeria witnessed thereafter and was responsible for the trillions of Naira Nigeria wasted in the process. Babangida is also vicariously responsible for the ghastly rule of Abacha, the many people he killed and the stagnation of reason during the period.
MORE FROM THE AUTHOR: [OPINION] Islam: Beyond terrorism and Boko Haram [Monday Lines 1]
That chapter on June 12 was just a buck-passing script. It drowned the other revealing and intellectually stimulating chapters of the book which are very useful for historical corroboration of facts and fictions. Unfortunately, virtually all the dramatis personae of the election are now diseased. Did Babangida wait for this auspicious moment to unleash his revisionist chapter of his memoir? Or, was it merely to make peace with history and his creator when he passes? Whatever it is, that chapter was poor artistry. It is akin to eccentric millionaire, Kester Weidmann’s weird attempt to make a corpse walk, a clear Babangida absurd voodoo fabrication of sainthood for himself. Thirty two years after, the anti-hero of that grisly political drama which almost splintered Nigeria and was on the verge of tossing the country into a huge internecine war, chose to canonize himself.
However, A Journey In Service has shown the path of a road to travel wide open to travelers in government. Babangida traced his geneology from grandfather, Malam Ibrahim, a prominent Muslim cleric and wanderer who migrated from Sokoto to Kano and Kontagora and settled in Wushishi. He also wrote about how Ibrahim married his pretty wife, Halima. He traced the family roots up to his father, Malam Muhammadu Badamasi, ostensibly to explain how he got his middle name, ‘Badamasi’ which many confused with ‘Gbadamosi’ a Yoruba name. Now, or in the future, we will expect President Tinubu, VP Kashim Shettima’s and others’ autobiographies. They must all write their memoirs, so that we can indeed meet the characters who govern us.
Lastly, many have disdained the gathering in Abuja for the book launch and the huge billions of Naira announced as donations. No one remembered to even offer a minute silence for the dead of June 12. The gathering has been explained off as elite regrouping and this class’ clear disconnect from the everyday issues of the average Nigerian. It should serve as a lesson to the Nigerian people. In Osun State now, power-mongers are seeking state capture, the same way IBB sought to, over three decades ago. The APC is baring its fangs, using Bola Tinubu’s hold on federal power as Malacca cane with which to grope in the dark. The Attorney General of the Federation is rudely descending into the arena with partisan and needless threat laced in the garb of harmless advice, while the IGP is flexing his muscles with impunity. As they all gathered by the feet of IBB last Thursday, they should have learned a fundamental lesson from the senescent General: that it is only an allotted time that power-wielders use; no one wears the apron of power forever until it becomes a tattered rag (Ìgbà l’oni’gba n’lo, ẹnìkan o ló ilé ayé gbó). It speaks to the temporality and ephemerality of the power they use to harass Nigerians.
You may like
OPINION: ‘ADC Is A Mere Distraction’
OPINION: Is Èmil’ókàn Audacity Or Incantation Ritual?
[OPINION] Wasiu Ayinde: The Shame Of A Nation (2)
[OPINION] Game Of Thrones: Ooni, Alaafin And The Ridiculing oF Yoruba Heritage
[OPINION] Bus Terminals: Our FG In Agbero Business
[OPINION] Wasiu Ayinde: Shame Of A Nation (1)
News
PHOTOS: Brazil Welcomes Tinubu With Full Military Honours In Brasília
Published
11 hours agoon
August 25, 2025By
Editor
Brazil on Monday rolled out full military honours at the Planalto Palace in Brasília to receive President Bola Tinubu.
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this on X on Monday.
READ ALSO:Tinubu Signs Direct Flight, Other Agreements With Brazil
Onanuga said Tinubu was welcomed by his host, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Onanuga said Tinubu was welcomed by his host, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
He wrote, “More photos of the official reception for President Tinubu at the Planalto Palace in Brasília, Monday, August 25, 2025. Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva welcomed President Bola Tinubu with full military honours.”
News
Tinubu Signs Direct Flight, Other Agreements With Brazil
Published
11 hours agoon
August 25, 2025By
Editor
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed a landmark Bilateral Air Service Agreement with Brazil, signalling the establishment of direct air links between Nigeria and South America’s largest economy.
The agreement was formalised on Monday during Tinubu’s official state visit to Brasília.
Media aide to the minister, Tunde Moshood, made this known through a statement, made available to The PUNCH.
At the signing ceremony which was witnessed by Messrs Nigerian President, Tinubu and the Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brasilia also had the Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, signed the agreement on behalf of Nigeria, while Brazil’s Minister of Transport, Silvio Costa Filho, also signed for the host country.
READ ALSO:2027: You Will Lose 80% Of Northern Muslim Votes If…, APC Forum Warns Tinubu
The BASA creates a new framework for direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil, with the potential to significantly enhance trade, tourism, investment, and diplomatic relations.
The statement further noted that, “ It also marks a key step in Nigeria’s broader efforts to strengthen international partnerships and improve global connectivity.”
Tinubu had arrived in Brazil with a delegation that included Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari; and other senior government officials.
According to the statement, the Brazilian President welcomed the agreement, expressing his administration’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Nigeria in sectors such as aviation, agriculture, and infrastructure.
READ ALSO:Monarch’s Suspension Sparks Crisis In Delta
He described the BASA as a reflection of the strong ties between both countries and an opportunity to deepen economic and cultural collaboration.
Tinubu is also scheduled to hold meetings with key Brazilian government officials, including the President of the Senate, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, and the President of the Supreme Federal Court.
The two-day visit will include high-level discussions between Nigerian and Brazilian delegations across various sectors, as both nations explore opportunities for mutual growth and development.
The statement reads, “The ongoing state visit will also see President Tinubu meeting the President of the Brazilian Senate at the National Congress, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, and the President of the Supreme Federal Court.
“The working visit, which continues tomorrow, will also feature high-level engagements between Nigerian and Brazilian delegations across various sectors, underscoring both nations’ commitment to building a future of mutual growth and prosperity.”

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control on Monday issued a public alert, warning the public about confirmed counterfeit batches of Postinor-2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75 mg) now circulating in Nigeria.
The alert follows a report from the Society for Family Health, the marketing authorisation holder, confirming that they did not import the suspect batches.
Postinor-2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75mg) is a brand of emergency contraceptive pill containing the active ingredient levonorgestrel.
NAFDAC revealed there are noticeable labelling discrepancies between the authentic and fake products.
READ ALSO:NAFDAC Warns On Recalled U.S. Supplements
It said, “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) hereby notifies the public of falsified Type 1 and 2 batches of POSTINOR 2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75mg) product in circulation.
“The noticeable difference was found to be as follows: The font size of the text on the pin verification sticker appears smaller and has a wrong spelling of the word Veify instead of Verify on the fake; meanwhile, the text font on the sticker of the original appears bigger and more visible. There is also a wrong spelling behind the pack of the fake “Distnibuted in Nigeria” instead of distributed in Nigeria”, NAFDAC said.
NAFDAC identified the original Postinor-2 as batch T32458H, manufactured in February 2023 with an expiry date of February 2027 and registration number 04-6985.
READ ALSO:NAFDAC Uncovers Warehouse Loaded With Explosive Chemicals In Kano
The agency, however, confirmed two falsified versions: Counterfeit Product (Type 1), batch T36184B, manufactured in August 2024 with an expiry date of August 2028; and Counterfeit Product (Type 2), batch 332, manufactured in March 2023 with an expiry date of February 2027, both carrying the registration number 04-6985.
It said that due to the potential presence of incorrect, substandard, or harmful ingredients, improper dosages of levonorgestrel, and a lack of sterile manufacturing conditions, poses significant risks to individual health and public safety.
“The risks of administering falsified Postinor 2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75mg) include failure of contraceptive effect, toxic or harmful contaminants, unpredictable side effects, delayed or missed opportunity for genuine emergency contraception, and potential long-term reproductive health impact. Unexpected side effects: Unknown substances can trigger allergic reactions, organ damage, or death.
“Counterfeit medicines are unregulated, untested, and illegal, making their safety and efficacy impossible to guarantee. Patients should only obtain Postinor-2 from verified pharmacies or licensed healthcare providers.
READ ALSO:NAFDAC Warns Against VDM’s Inciting Video
“Although Investigations are still ongoing regarding the source of the falsified product, all NAFDAC zonal directors and state coordinators have been directed to carry out surveillance and mop up the falsified product of type 1 and 2 postinor 2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75mg) within the zones and states,” it added.
NAFDAC urged consumers and healthcare providers to verify PIN stickers carefully, report suspected counterfeit products, and always purchase medications from reputable sources.
- Sports Commission Boss Commends Team Edo Athletes For Continental Triumph
- Enabulele Confident Of Team Edo’s Success At 2025 NYG
- PHOTOS: Brazil Welcomes Tinubu With Full Military Honours In Brasília
- Tinubu Signs Direct Flight, Other Agreements With Brazil
- Four Die, Three Injured In Delta Crash
- PDP Zones 2027 Presidential Ticket To South
- NAFDAC Warns Of Fake Postinor-2 In Circulation
- Brazil Names Squad Without Neymar, Vinicius For World Cup Qualifiers [FULL LIST]
- OPINION: Death Of World’s Nicest Judge
- OPINION: ‘ADC Is A Mere Distraction’
Trending
- Metro4 days ago
Customs Seize N905m Rolls Royce, Other Contrabands In Ogun
- News4 days ago
BREAKING: FG, State, Local Governments Share N2.001trn July Revenue
- News5 days ago
JUST IN: Okpebholo Nominates Another 5 Persons As Commissioner-designates
- News5 days ago
Buhari Was Angel In Human Flesh – Bisi Akande
- Metro4 days ago
Village Youths Capture Bandit During Midnight Attack In Benue
- Metro4 days ago
Lagos Skit Maker Hacked To Death By Suspected Cultists
- News4 days ago
Benue Bans Nursery Graduations, Customised Textbooks In Schools
- Metro3 days ago
Edo Govt Demolishes Building Owned by Suspected Cultist
- News5 days ago
179 ASPs Disqualified As Police Promote 952 Officers
- News5 days ago
Monarch’s Suspension Sparks Crisis In Delta