By Experts, MARCH 4,2025

The recent book launch by General Ibrahim Babangida has reignited old wounds and stirred a storm of reactions from Nigerians across political and ideological divides.

Just as former President Olusegun Obasanjo predicted when he advised Babangida to brace up for an ocean of responses from “the good, the bad, and the ugly,” the nation has indeed spoken. As I put pen to paper, I am uncertain where my reaction falls within these categories, but one thing is clear—I refuse to remain silent.

The echoes of Nigeria’s old national anthem ring loud: “The labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain.” Yet, the spectacle at the book launch suggests otherwise.

The sacrifices of those who bled for democracy—their struggles, their martyrdom—have been reduced to mere footnotes in history, discarded in favour of political pageantry. If the spirit of the late Chief MKO Abiola could speak, it would wail in anguish, lamenting how he was led to the Golgotha of democracy—sacrificed on the altar of Nigeria’s freedom—only for his chief tormentor to be honoured in grand style.

The betrayal of his legacy is a grave injustice. How can a nation that claims to revere democracy celebrate the very man who annulled its freest and fairest election? Kudos to Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) for standing as the voice of truth amidst the sea of hypocrisy. His bold declaration at the launch cut through the orchestrated eulogies, exposing the painful truth: Babangida was not just the tormentor of President Bola Tinubu, but of all true democrats.

He was the architect of their persecution—the mastermind behind the agony suffered by men like Pa. Adekunle Ajasin, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Alhaja Suliat Adedeji, Frank Kokori, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Prof. Olukoye Ransome-Kuti, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Pa. Abraham Adesanya, Chief Bola Ige (SAN) and countless others. Even Colonel Abubakar Umar (rtd), a man of integrity from Babangida’s own region, stood against his injustice, refusing to be complicit in the disgraceful annulment of June 12.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari must be commended for his conspicuous absence from the charade. Unlike others, he refused to partake in the glorification of a man he once described as the “evil genius.” And rightly so. It is both shocking and laughable that, after 32 years, Babangida is now attempting to shift blame for the annulment onto the late General Sani Abacha and others—as though he were an innocent bystander.

This is a desperate, shameless attempt at revisionist history. In the military, an action of such magnitude taken without the Commander-in-Chief’s consent would amount to mutiny—punishable by the severest consequences. Babangida was in charge. Every decision rested on his table. The buck stopped with him.

General Olusegun Obasanjo, in his characteristic manner, responded to Babangida’s antics with a knowing smirk, reminding him that his book would be met with all shades of reactions. And indeed, the uproar has been deafening. The book and its fanfare are nothing short of an insult to the collective intelligence of Nigerians. Are we now to believe that the struggles of our heroes—dead and alive—were in vain?

More perplexing is how N17.5 billion was raised for his proposed library. Were these donors blind to the sorry state of Nigeria’s healthcare system? Did they ignore the collapsing educational sector, the crumbling infrastructure, and the biting poverty that has left millions hopeless?

This sets a dangerous precedent—it signals to corrupt politicians and leaders that, no matter the level of their betrayal, history will eventually whitewash them into statesmen. Let us not forget the blood of Dele Giwa—one of Nigeria’s finest journalists—who was assassinated via a parcel bomb in 1986, a crime that still demands justice. If Babangida’s book were truly an honest account, it should have contained a confession about this dark chapter.

Furthermore, it should have addressed the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP)—his economic disaster that devalued the naira and plunged Nigeria into a spiral of economic hardship from which we are yet to recover. Instead of a library, what Babangida truly owes Nigerians is an apology—an unequivocal admittance of guilt, not a feeble attempt to rewrite history.

While President Tinubu’s presence at the book launch could be politically justified as the President for the good, the bad and the ugly, he, more than anyone, understands the weight of the June 12 struggle. If fate had been crueller and Tinubu had perished in exile, would Babangida still be lauded as a statesman? Would his own sacrifices be forgotten as easily as Abiola’s?

Today, the family of MKO Abiola watches in pain as their father’s oppressor is celebrated, while his own legacy remains largely unappreciated. How much has Nigeria raised to immortalise Abiola? Where is the national monument in his honour? The June 12 holiday, though symbolic, is a far cry from the honour he truly deserves.

He was Nigeria’s political Jesus Christ—yet, while his tormentor enjoys applause, his own martyrdom is gradually being erased. As a Christian, I believe the death of Jesus Christ was not in vain. But at this rate, the death of MKO Abiola is being reduced to a meaningless sacrifice.

From a legal standpoint, Babangida’s sudden confession could be prima facie statute barred, which only reopens old wounds. True repentance is not about shifting blame—it is about sincere acknowledgment of wrongdoing. If Babangida seeks pardon, then logic dictates that the late General Sani Abacha should also be given the chance to clear his name.

This is not about ethnicity or regional politics. It is about justice. Colonel Umar, a northerner, was one of the fiercest critics of the June 12 annulment because he understood that the fundamental issue was the sanctity of democracy. So, we must ask: What exactly does Babangida want Nigerians to learn from his book? Is the theme of the book betrayal? Is it a tale of lies and deception? Or is it a master class in evading responsibility?

The voices of justice cannot afford to remain silent. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), human rights lawyers like Barr. Femi Falana (SAN), and other pro-democracy activists must speak. Their silence would be an insult to the sacrifices made by Abiola and the countless others who suffered for Nigeria’s democracy.