Former Vice President Osinbajo Accepts Ex-Dictator Babangida’s Invitation To Review Upcoming Memoir ‘A Journey In Service’
Babangida is set to launch his autobiography, “A Journey in Service”, on February 20. The former despot had expressed doubts about writing a memoir seven years ago, wondering if Nigerians would be interested in reading about “a dictator”.
Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has accepted an invitation by ex-military dictator Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), to review his upcoming book.
Babangida is set to launch his autobiography, “A Journey in Service”, on February 20. The former despot had expressed doubts about writing a memoir seven years ago, wondering if Nigerians would be interested in reading about “a dictator”.
At the time, Babangida felt the public had misconceptions about him, particularly regarding his role in the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election and some of the contentious policies he implemented during his tenure as Head of State from 1985 to 1993.
Despite these concerns, his autobiography is now ready to hit the shelves.
The event would be chaired by former President Olusegun Obasanjo while President Bola Tinubu will be the special guest of honour.
The keynote address would be delivered by former Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo.
However, SaharaReporters learnt that former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has formally accepted IBB’s invitation to review the book.
Other guests billed to attend include former Nigerian leaders Muhammadu Buhari, Yakubu Gowon, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and Goodluck Jonathan.
Theophilus Danjuma, former Minister of Defence, and Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group, were announced as the chief launchers.
“Osinbajo has accepted the invitation to review IBB’s book. Osinbajo will be at the book launch as the book reviewer,” a source privy to the development told SaharaReporters.
The regime of Ibrahim Babangida, also known as IBB, was marked by several significant events that shaped Nigeria’s history. One notable policy was the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), which aimed to restructure the Nigerian economy but ultimately sparked a nationwide riot due to its harsh economic implications ¹.
IBB’s administration was also marred by controversy, including the unresolved murder of veteran journalist Dele Giwa. This event remains a dark stain on the regime’s reputation. Furthermore, the IBB era was marked by other contentious issues that raised eyebrows among Nigerians.
The climax of IBB’s regime was the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, a move that sparked widespread outrage and protests.
Interestingly, IBB earned the nickname “Evil Genius” and “Maradona” during his time in office as he was considered as very cunny.
Earlier on Friday, human rights activist and convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement, Omoyele Sowore, tagged Babangida’s upcoming autobiography, A Journey in Service, as a “journey in falsehood” unless it addresses several unresolved issues from his regime.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), expressed his concerns via his verified X account on Friday, stating, “I just read somewhere that tooth gapped General Ibrahim Badmosi Babangida (IBB) is planning to launch a book titled: “A Journey In Service” let’s make it clear that any book written by the fraudster that doesn’t confess to his assassination of journalist, Dele Giwa; the murder of Mamman Vatsa, a truthful account of the annulment of June 12 1993 elections, the plane crash that wiped off middle level Army officers at Ejigbo, the theft of $12.5 billion gulf oil windfall, the suspicious deaths of many Nigerians under his regime, the unprecedented conspiracy that ruined the Nigerian economy under his watch.”
He went on to demand accountability, saying, “Identifying and revealing his co-conspirators in and out of the Nigerian armed forces… etc… anything else is another journey in FALSEHOOD!”
Sowore made the statement ahead of the February 20 launch of IBB’s memoir, which will take place at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
The event, which will double as a fundraising effort for the IBB Presidential Library, is expected to attract several prominent figures.
