By Ademola Adewusi

I want to publicly thank Professor Isaac Albert for his wonderful tutelage on Elite Consolidation and Fragmentation during my second sojourn in the University of Ibadan. His course on the introduction to Peace and Conflict Theories was one of the high points of my MA in Peace and Conflict Studies. Today, his theory came to play.

The launch of the memoirs of former President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has dominated the airwaves today. I have tried to justify the celebration of Babangida by the elite and political class today. I have tried to find justification for the great things they said about him today. I have searched for the rationale for the celebration of his person and what his legacy denotes. I have searched my brain for the motivation for the words of adulation, heaped at IBB today. Before today, I knew never to speak ill of the dead. Now I know, that through hypocrisy and elite consolidation, we can speak good of the living, even when their evil deeds stare us in the face.

I have watched the videos again and again. People who ran from the evil genius now sat comfortably to praise his brilliance. People who were cowered by his “elimination squad” stood up to praise him boldly. The monied class, the political elite, the rentiers and profiteers, across political leanings all came to pay homage to the man who once held Nigeria by the jugular and emboldened Abacha to send hundreds into exile. It was a macabre spectacle.

The economic elite also came to pay obeisance and doll out money to build a presidential library in honour of a tainted legacy. The man took enough money to build his hilltop villa in Minna. Why not give him enough money to build a “Presidential Library”?. Was he even our “President”? The man who annulled the best election ever held in Nigeria was being feted and honoured by the same political elite he tried to extinguish. Not a surprise in a nation where a former military head of state, who took power by force and declared himself “president”is usually the first person people with national political ambition would consult before they seek the votes of the common man! All of them have gone to seek his support to rule us, the maradona has given them tips on how to dribble us. The “evil genius” has shared the tricks of enslavement with them. Fitting it is, that they support his final attempt to dribble us out of his place in history and extort more, from the privileged class.

I am not part of this collective amnesia. The political elite usually convene around interests rather than ideology. Nigeria’s politics has no ideological anchor, anyways. But to whitewash and canonise the man who began the systemic institutionalisation of corruption into our public life seemed like a stretch the limits of our
imagination until today. What a conclave!

Of particularly pathetic note was Professor Yemi Osinbajo, threading the delicate balance of creating a synthesis between the account of the author and the legacy of the author, known to everyone who was an adult when Babangida ruled. His brilliant mind, fecund and ever-ready to engage; struggled to make meaning of the dissonance, today. Even with his flashes of brilliance and beautifully delivered anecdotes, Osinbajo struggled to reconcile the man, his actions, his account of history and our collective memory. He annulled the best election to avoid a bloody coup! Who believes that? Same guy who retired military officers prematurely and was implicated in sending a faulty C130 to convey young military officers to their doom!

My first job ever was at Police Affairs Office on Ribadu Road, Ikoyi. I ran into IBB severally, while going home. I know the fear he instilled in people. I witnessed it first hand. The Officers’ Mess of the Brigade of Guards was annexed to Dodan Barracks at No. 3 Ribadu Road. I know the vibe that enveloped that place after he became head of state and “President”. Soldiers practically lost their courage. His innocent mind belies a ruthless mind. His sharp mind, quick wit and disarming demeanor disguised the psychography of a psychopath. Someone who invited academics, technocrats and technical experts to power, just to demistify them by sabotaging them. Ask Tai Solarin and Maria Sokenu.

He played this country like a fiddle. I was in Obafemi Awolowo University, I know how many student union leaders he detained. I know how many times we came out to protest against him. I know how many times our school was shut down during his regime. I don’t know how many people disappeared without a trace. I know Mamman Vatsa was killed for attempting the exact thing that brought Babangida to power. Mamman was the best man at his wedding, yet his life was snuffed out at the command of his friend. I was at Obalende, eager to witness Gideon Orkar overthrow him on that fateful Sunday before Tola Zidon and Raji Rasaki reinforced and rescued him. I know the ruthlessness and deviousness with which he ruled this country. I know Dele Giwa did not do more than write articles. He paid with his life. We know his last words…. “This must be from the President”.

Let them canonise the evil genius. It tells us more about all of them, than about all of us. It is their collective hypocrisy, not ours!

• Ademola Adewusi

By Professor Mike Ozekhome, SAN

I have carefully read and listened to former Nigerian military president, General Ibrahim
Badamosi Babagida’s public remorse and regrets over the atrocious annulment of the June
12,1993 presidential elections. He did this 32 whopping years later. I want to very quickly say that it takes a man with strong guts and balls and a man who has become repentant, born again and has seen the face of God to publicly recant his earlier wrongful deeds and offer public apology to the entire nation. This was no doubt meant to heal gaping wounds and balm wounded and bruised hearts.

The polls, the best, most transparent and credible elections, ever held in Nigeria till date,
were meant to end decades of military d The annulment threw Nigeria into turmoil and
widespread unrest, protests, maimings and killings. This forced Babangida to ” step aside”;
the enthronement of the Ernest Shonekan’s Interim Government; and the arrest and detention of Chief Moshood Abiola, the presumed winner who later died in Aso Villa in questionable and suspicious circumstances. Of course, General Sani Abacha who was his second in command later sacked Shonekan in a bloodless coup.

For years, IBB prevaricated on the annulment, claiming he did it in the best national interest. But on Thursday the 21st of February 2025,Babangida during the presentation of his memoirs, “A Journey In Service”, pointedly regretted in the public: “I regret June 12. I accept full responsibility for the decisions taken and June 12 happened under my watch. Mistakes, missteps happened in quick succession. That accident of history is most regrettable. The nation is entitled to expect my expression of regret “. And wait for it:: he acknowledged for the first time that Abiola won the elections fair and square, trouncing his major opponent, Alhaji Bashir Tofa.

I want to salute Babangida for having the courage and humility to own up like a man; that
everything that happened during the June 12 crisis took place under him as the head of state and the president who was also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I salute him for acknowledging that his government which actually organised unarguably the freest, fairest and most credible elections in the electoral history of Nigeria when it introduced option A4 from electoral books that were hitherto unknown to Nigeria or to the world. But unfortunately, regrettably, like he now admits, he again turned around to annul the same elections in a way that was most bizarre, curious and unnatural.

To me, that he has come out to open up to doing something wrong and egregious to a
bleeding nation should be appreciated. I believe that Nigerians should forgive him because
to err is human and to forgive is divine ( Eph 4:32 ). I personally have now forgiven him
because I was also a victim of the June 12 crisis. It threw up all manners of challenges to me as a person, where in my very youthful age; in my thirties, I found myself marching on the streets of Lagos every day- from Ikeja bus stop roundabout to Ikorodu road; up to Tejuosho market; from there to Ojuelegba, Surulere; to Mushin; to Shomolu and Igando, Alimosho.

Every day, we were on the streets, protesting the mindless annulment. Some of us were killed in the process; some were lucky enough to escape abroad on self-exile. But some of us- very few indeed- refused to flee our dear country; we stayed back. We stared at the military eyeball to eyeball. We challenged authority and spoke truth to power. We challenged impunity and repression. I suffered several detentions across different detention centres. I virtually could not find a means of livelihood for my youthful family because I was profiled, my phones bugged and no briefs were coming in. But I personally forgive him because it takes tons of guts to make public confession of having erred and atone for the same as he has now done.

It is confession that leads to penance and penance leads to restitution and then forgiveness. If Babangida were to die today, I believe that he will see the face of God because he has prayed God to forgive him; and he has prayed Nigerians to forgive him. Beyond that historic and epochal mistake of the annulment of the June 12 election which constitutes his original sin, let me place it on record that Babangida is one of the greatest presidents that Nigeria ever had in terms of his ingenuity, rulership mantra; ideas for national resurgimento; ideas that contributed greatly to nation-building. These were aside the IMF-induced loans and pills which he introduced and which we again valiantly fought against successfully.

Babangida it was who gave birth to the Federal Capital Territory and laid the solid foundation for virtually everything you see there today. His government was peopled by intellectuals and not by half illiterates and quacks. He recognized and used intellects. He was luminous and he built bridges of understanding, friendship and brotherhood across Nigeria. Nigerians, please, accept IBB’s confession and forgive him his sin of annulling the June 12,1993 elections. Let the wounds heal; let the heart melt; and let the spirit of national triumphalism prevail.

By Tonye Clinton Jaja

Jesus Christ is regarded as one of the greatest teachers that ever lived.

He often used parables and metaphors to drive home the point.

At Matthew 7:5 he said:
“Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye”.

In this parable, Jesus used two metaphors, “plank” and “speck”. A hypocrite who has a plank (a big log of wood) inside his eyes cannot see clearly and therefore, the hypocrite’s attempt to remove the speck (a minute/very small piece of wood) in the eyes of another person will fail.

This appears to be the case playing out.

Every time, the federal government is quick to point out how the masses needs to tighten their belts, how they need to endure certain “temporary” economic deprivations as necessary sacrifices for a better economic future. This is the story and rationale for the removal of fuel subsidy and other harsh economic measures.

However, at no time, do we hear of any similar “belly-tightening” measures on the part of the ruling class and the upper echelons of the civil and public service.

Today, they have come up with another “cost-cutting and economic boosting” measure for the masses namely stop the consumption of “Pomo” to save the Nigerian economy ₦23,000,000,000 (twenty-three billion naira).

Whereas more than twice that amount can be saved and recouped into the Nigerian economy if they agree to lower the rates of estacodes and Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) alone.

For the avoidance of doubts, below is the federal government’s report:

“The federal government today cautioned that the consumption of hides and skin, known in local parlance as Pomo, deprives the nation of much-needed jobs.

Speaking at the resumed ministerial briefing organised by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation in Abuja, Minister of Livestock Development, Mukhtar Maiha, affirmed that hides and skin have a value of ₦23 billion and can create 700,000 jobs, reports Nigerian Tribune.”

The foregoing is a form of fallacy of painting an incomplete picture and thereby preventing the reader from arriving at a logically correct conclusion.

It paints the picture that this alleged sector can provide 700,000 jobs and over ₦23bn for the Nigerian economy.

What about the billions of naira that can be saved and re-invested in the Nigerian economy, if we all agree to reduce the number of foreign and local trips by government officials?

For the avoidance of any doubts, let the figures speak for themselves:

“The 2025 Appropriation Bill, detailed by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, allocates a substantial N9.36 billion for local and international travels, as well as refreshments for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.”

“The Office of the President has proposed a budget of N4,760,035,960 for vehicles. This includes N3,661,566,123 allocated for the purchase of operational vehicles for the State House and N1 billion designated for replacing Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs).

Additionally, N1,728,214 has been budgeted for the purchase of cars, with N864,107 set aside for procuring SUVs for the President and Vice President. Another N864,107 is earmarked for acquiring operational vehicles for the Presidential Conference Car Unit (CCU) fleet.

The overall budget proposal includes N5,938,883,548 for various items, including honorariums, construction of an office complex for Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants, and fuel for generators.

Specifically, N2,118,521,128 is allocated for sitting allowances and honorariums, N1,989,579,359 for fuel, and N1,830,783,061 for constructing the office complex for Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants.”

Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja,
Executive Director,
Nigerian Law Society (NLS).

By Tonye Clinton Jaja

There is a joke that popped up on the WhatsApp platform of one of the Nigerian lawyers groups.

The joke stated that: “in the year 2025, the word “allegedly” would be the most frequently used word.

And it appears that that is a self-fulfilling prophecy!!!

Nigeria is “allegedly” a federation of 36 States according to the wordings of our Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999!!!

Nigeria “allegedly” practices the presidential system of democracy according to the Nigerian Constitution!!!

Nigeria is allegedly very rich in terms of crude oil and other natural resources, according to the geological maps!!!

Nigeria is allegedly out of recession by reducing the rate of inflation from 34% to 23%!!!

Nigeria is allegedly the giant of Africa, with the most promising economy in Africa!!!

Nigeria has allegedly technically defeated insurgency!!!

According to Section 10 of the Nigerian Constitution, Nigeria is allegedly a secular country that doesn’t mix religion with governance!!!

Section 14(3) of the Nigerian Constitution is a unique feature wherein Nigeria allegedly recognises the need for each geo-political zone to be represented in the Governing Board of every federal government agency!!!

The list could go on and on!!!!

In Nigeria there appears to be a huge difference between what obtains in our Constitution and other laws and what obtains in actual practice!!!

Take for example, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where allegedly democracy is supposed to be practised, Mr. Ahmed Isah, Founder of the Human Rights Radio, Abuja, has just confirmed that in actual practice, it is autocracy that is being practiced there. As evidence of this, he cites the event of 20th February 2025, wherein the President of the Senate ordered the Sergeant-At-Arms to remove a fellow colleague Senator!!!

In the judiciary, it appears the practice of Gerontocracy is the predominant and full-blown practice. Judging by the speed with which the Presidency assented to the Bill for the law that increased the age of retirement of judges to 75 years.

Gerontocracy is defined as “a state, society, or group governed by old people.
government based on rule by old people.”

Judging by the fact that minimum wage in Nigeria is now ₦72,000 per month, no average citizen of Nigeria can afford to participate or self-sponsor themselves to purchase even nomination form for local government councillorship or Chairmanship elections. So it can be said that, instead of democracy, the Nigerian Executive is now a full-blown “Plutocracy”.

Plutocracy is defined as: “1. government by the wealthy.

“the attack on the Bank of England was a gesture against the very symbol of plutocracy”

2. a state or society governed by the wealthy.

plural noun: plutocracies
“no one can accept public policies which turn a democracy into a plutocracy”
an elite or ruling class whose power derives from their wealth.
“officials were drawn from the new plutocracy”.

It appears that it is only the House of Representatives, National Assembly of Nigeria that practices a semblance of democracy.

Considering that members of the House of Representatives, National Assembly last October 2024 voted en masse for the President to confer the Rt. Hon. Speaker of the said House with the national honour of GCON (Grand Commander of Nigeria) instead of CFR-Commander of the Federal Republic.

Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja,
Executive Director,
Nigerian Law Society (NLS).