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Babangida and project 2007
By Babajide Omoworare
IN the recent past a lot of people have been asking the toothy former military ruler to run for presidency, come 2007. Some organisations were established begging him to run and he evaded the issue for a long time, but his words and deeds in the more recent past show he is interested and "only God can stop me". We all know about the "begging ploy" a la the dark bespectacled dictator. The words of our elders are relevant: "who does not know the trick of a disappearing meat in the mouth". In this day and age, this "begging ploy" is simply the height of playing on our intelligence. Be that as it may, some eminent Nigerians have risen up to be counted among those campaigning against the ploy.
It is not my intention to discuss issues that are commonly known to be outstanding about General Ibrahim Babangida. These issues are too many to be discussed. From the perspective of a legal mind, these issues seem unsubstantiated for now. A man is supposedly innocent until accused in a Law Court and found guilty. Irrespective of the decision on the status of Oputa Panel and whether Oputa Panel's findings have justiciable value, that forum would have afforded IBB the opportunity to avail Nigerians of the true position on some of these issues. There was no sound moral, ethical or political reason for his absence at the hearings of the panel. However, we may not have heard the last on the outstanding issues.
On the other hand, other issues that may arise in respect of IBB's presidential bid may be hinged on indiscipline in all ramifications, impact of his economic policies and political inexpediency while in office. Ideally for one that has served in a capacity it is usually an advantage because you are seen as having the requisite knowledge and experience to carry on. There is a joke about a wealthy man whose son was said to have performed woefully as a Governor, he asked those castigating his son what is done if a student fails. "The student repeats the class", they retorted, "there you are" he said, "let my son repeat his tenure as a Governor".
It is incontrovertible that despite the shortcomings of the Buhari/Idiagbon regime and however harsh, fierce and dictatorial they were perceived to be, they entrenched orderliness and instilled discipline in Nigerians. The immediate reversal of this position as soon as IBB came on board was stupefying. Indiscipline instantaneously became the order of the day. "Man know man" was the only way to survive. It was an era of get rich quick. Obtaining by false pretences (a.k.a. 419) became rampant. Drug pushing and/or peddling were predominant. Cultism in universities and other institutions of higher learning became epidemic. The word "settlement" crept into our lexicon.
From the economic standpoint, I am of the view that eight years was enough to turn our economy around and not aground. The Structural Adjustment Program ("SAP") was meant to make the government prudent and fiscally disciplined. It worked in Asia. A lot of transparency is required. IBB recruited reputable bankers, economists and financial experts to bring SAP to fruition. I do not think that IBB ever intended to take their advice. Instead, he must have taken the counsel of Niccolo Machiavelli who said in his book, The Prince that "A Prince must, therefore, never lack advice. But he must take it when he wants to, not when others want him to; indeed, he must discourage everyone from tendering advice about anything unless it is asked for".
A widely circulating newspaper once reported that Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande indicted President Olusegun Obasanjo who was military Head of State between 1976 and 1979, of encouraging mediocrity and knocked General Ibrahim Babangida, military President between 1987 and 1993, for ruining public morality and destroying political party discipline. According to him, "the harm they have done will take a long time to cure.... Between them they should take responsibility for the agonies this country has gone through; and we are yet out of the woods". Other newspapers also reported Dr. Ayagi putting the blame of the current economic woes of Nigeria on the doorstep of IBB.
During the IBB era, President Olusegun Obasanjo complained that the economic programmes and policies of IBB as summed up by SAP, were devoid of a human face. In fact Nigerians colloquially understood SAP by its dictionary meaning: weaken, drain, deplete, eat away, soak away, debilitate, reduce, incapacitate, hamper and encumber. During this era, SAP was also construed in Yoruba Language as "So'nilederu Akotileta Parapo," literarily interpreted to mean: Those that have turned Landlords into slaves and prodigals; have joined forces to stunt our advancement.
The mismanagement of SAP virtually wiped out the middle class in Nigeria and almost made Nigerians scavengers. The Naira almost became worthless and there was a massive brain drain. Production capacities of our industries reduced. The hopes and aspirations of Nigerians could no longer be met, ushering in a State of anomie. This led to corruption, indiscipline, bunkering and racketeering. The unpatriotic tendency among the youths was to keep "checking out" and there was a general break down of people's nationalistic psyche. IBB era is best described as the years of the locust.
IBB will also be measured by his unpopular political decisions whilst in Office. It is on record that he annulled the freest and fairest election in the history of Nigeria. The funding of State created political parties, the construction of party secretariats and the cost of conducting elections must have been awesome. His process of deliberately elongating the transitional period was traumatic for Nigerians. It still seems unbelievable that all the foregoing were swept aside without even considering the interest of those who went out in the scorching sun to exercise their civic rights. It is sacrilegious that the Parliaments put in place with the mandate of Nigerians were dissolved. These actions put Nigerians under gruelling military rule for a further six years. Many fought and died for the restoration of democracy. Others either lost their limbs or liberty. Hundreds of others unknown and therefore unsung were shot on the streets during this period.
The question I keep asking myself is: should a character that has demonstrated such intolerance with democracy and democratic institutions, and has exhibited extreme dearth of tenets of civil liberty turn back to benefit from the present democratic process? Can such a person with his appalling human rights violation records protect the ingredients of democracy like the preservation of the rule of law (supremacy of the law and equality before the law) and the observance of the fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Constitution? Should someone who for his undemocratic and deceptive inclinations, garnered negative and offensive aliases like Maradona, Evil-Genius, Machiavelli etc. be trusted by the people?
The Constitution does not preclude enfranchised Nigerians, including ex-military rulers from running for elections into public offices. But come to think of it, why should I vote for an ex-military ruler, when we advocated that politics be left for civilians by the military? Furthermore, who then were the military rulers that we found inadequate to govern our nation, when we condemned military rule in Nigeria? Put otherwise, who were the military rulers that were culpable for mismanaging our resources and putting our economy, education, social values etc. in comatose? Like one of my Community Leaders asked: "What has IBB forgotten in Aso Rock that he wants to pick". On my own part, I have refused (despite having the opportunity twice) to vote for an ex-military ruler, I seem vindicated because of his penchant for disrespecting democratic institutions and breaching the provisions of our Constitution at will.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo was known to get the best out of eggheads, IBB would be remembered as a man that recruited and maintained the loyalty of eggheads and we ultimately got nothing out of it. Dora Akunyili the NAFDAC boss is known for being courageous and tenacious in the interest of the people, IBB will be remembered as a charismatic and enigmatic Head of State, whose purported legacies have gone to nothing. Gamaliel Onasode as a Corporate Administrator is known as a transparent and accountable manager of resources, IBB will be remembered as a man whose accountability for our resources; his decisions and actions amount to nothing.
IBB is reputed merely for his captivating charms, mutually infectious loyalty between him and his cronies and reckless generosity at the expense of our nations development. These virtues have built a Sect around him. Those in this Sect are the ones burrowing for him. These IBB "Boys" (even though some of them are "Grandfathers") are professional boot-lickers, favour-seekers and hangers-on on the corridors of power, championing Project 2007 for their self-interest.
The Presidency is not for people who are bereft of ideas about turning this country around. They have failed in their first attempt and spent eight most arduous years brandishing their set of teeth. The presidency from my perspective is not about those who are toothy for nothing.
- Omoworare is Majority Leader at the Lagos State House of Assembly
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