3 reasons why Nigerians would read Ibrahim Babangida’s biography
As the popular saying goes, there are three sides to every story – your side, my side, and the truth.
Ibarahim Babangida, Nigeria’s past military leader, may just have to tell his side of the story, particularly his role in the annulment of Nigeria’s freest election on June 12, 1993 – before he dies.
While the hero of the June 12 elections, late Chief MKO Abiola has not lived to tell his story in vivid details, the villain is well alive and positioned to give more insights into the historic moment in Nigeria’s democracy.
Babangida, however, is of the opinion no Nigerian would be willing to read his story, because of that very unfortunate incident.
In fact, he said in the interview that he was in constant communication with Abiola, whom he was once friends with, all through the crisis.
Here are reasons why the former military dictator is wrong, and needs to go ahead and write his biography:
His story needs to be told
Babangida is one of Nigeria’s past leaders. That can’t be erased from history.
Not like whatever account of the unfortunate incident Babangida gives would really change a thing about Nigerians’ perception of him, but he needs to do it regardless.
He’s not going to magically change his villainous status among Nigerians, but it’s his story and no one can tell it like he will. Villains have a story too.
Posterity
A child born on June 12, 1993 will be 25 years old in barely two months’ time. A child born in the year 2000 is an adult in 2018. Babangida needs to understand he is an important part of Nigeria’s history. There is no shying away from that.
Stories of many African leaders have been improperly untold, with scarce details of major events. Millions of youths scour the internet for details on historical events, and the events surrounding June 12 elections are some of them.
The older class of citizens would even find any extra detail Babangida provides quite useful in getting further grasp of the events that occurred at the time.
Sake of facts and clarity
Every detail of the pre-June 12 and post-election events need to be documented, and Babangida is a vital piece of the puzzle.
The events surrounding the annulment of Nigeria’s freest election have been well documented within the local and international media, but some incidents, however, remain shrouded in rumour and mystery.
Babangida, as he acknowledged, is well primed to give insights and revelations on some incidents surrounding the unfortunate period in Nigeria’s history.
