A soldier, a master political strategist and famed Evil Genius, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida carefully and masterfully plotted his way to becoming Nigerias military ruler in 1985 after overthrowing his commander-in Chief General Muhammadu Buhari in a bloodless coup and from there went on promote himself from a 2 star general to a full 4 star general. He went on to promise Nigerians that his government would wear a smiling face in contrast with the draconian government of his predecessor and also promised a quick return to civil rule . To further endear himself to the public, he went to release many of the detainees locked up by the previous government and the public persona he put up as an ever smiling gap toothed general seemed to be the image of his government. It wasnt long before Nigerians were being confronted with their own Doctor of Machavellian manoeuvres, a sly fox who craftily outwitted his adversaries and perceived enemies on one hand, and on the other a ferocious lion who bared his fearsome canines when he had to. He started by insisting on being addressed as president, not minding the fact that that was a title for only democratically elected rulers, and placed more executive powers in himself as well as firing and hiring ministers at will. His admission of Nigeria into the the Organization of Islamic Countries, OIC remains a source of controversy to this day as does the still unresolved murder of Dele Giwa the editor in chief of Newswatch magazine where his two security chiefs were implicated. His government also became well known for its hounding and detaining of perceived enemies of the government as well as flagrant human rights abuses. Also playing a huge role in the government and maintaining a constant authoritative presence was Babangidas overbearingly ambitious wife Maryam who brought the term First Lady into the everyday lexicon of Nigerians and made it an official government position. While Nigerians constantly groaned under the economic hardship plaguing the nation, Babangida was always quick to embellish his governments economic achievements especially with the use of the state controlled electronic media. Economic programmes like the Second Tier Foreign Exchange Market, SFEM and the Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP only helped to further impoverish an already battered citizenry while he and his cronies continued to live in so much splendour. His repeated failures to return Nigeria to civil rule as he so often promised helped to further alienate him from Nigerians and his annulment of the June 12, 1993 elections was the last straw. Agitations both from within and outside government circles saw him take the decision to step aside exactly 8 years after seizing power and hand over power to an interim government. Since his fall from power, the man Nigerians fondly call Maradona still tries to make himself relevant in Nigerian politics one way or another to this day.
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 20:22:24 +0000
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