By Frank Ediagbonya
IBB is a name many Nigerians would never forget in a hurry. IBB is embedded with connotations than ordinary acronym a novice would take it for. The acronym IBB is the most feared and most doubted in the military and political circle past and present in Nigeria. It is an acronym that can dethrone the devil from his throne in hell.
IBB sound awful when you mention June 12, SAP, IMF loan, Students Riots. IBB is the iconic Maradona of Nigerian Politics, Arrogant, a demi god to many who were empowered and enriched by him and a multi-talented in Social Engineering.
Gen. Ibrahim Badamusi Babagida, IBB for short, a retired former military President of Nigeria, a career military man with hidden political talent, a man whose draconian laws, heavy handed iron fist and crafty administrative skill set Nigerians on a bleak political and economic journey with no final destination in sight.
The emergence of this skillful torturer nicknamed maradona by the press, a manipulator and a coercer of destinies of many Nigerians irrespective of tribes, religions or status, leaving them in reels of confusion, mental pains and psychological truman for more than two decades has spoken in favour of ordinary Nigerians for the first time in 25 years. His claims and evidences is being throughly evaluated by many Nigerian social scientists at home and abroad.
"IBB has repented." Repented from what? And why? This nice words about Nigerians, a sense of common purpose and social justice; what gave IBB the impetus to voice out the minds of ordinary Nigerians? The death of Gani or a political ambition? This are the questions many Nigerians should be asking.
IBB is one of the most "intelligent Nigerians" there is no doubt about his ability to manage a complex country like Nigeria but why did he allow his ego and overconfidence to betray his intelligence and good purpose for Nigeria in his 8 year rule?
The words of IBB on how to move Nigeria forward are in order but there are fears that IBB is up to something. Why did he chose this time to air his opinion after the death of Gani or when the next presidential election is less than 20 months from now?
Babagida knows how to capture the hearts of Nigerians, he is an hypnotist who had cultivated the hearts of Nigerians with white elephant programmes, wasting tax payers money, only to cancel these programmes at the 11th hour. He has something in his sleeve and the best way to pacify the hearts of Nigerians is to tell them exactly what they are yearning for since independence, watch their reaction and then announce his political ambition to rule Nigeria.
Can IBB pass the repentant test just like car MOT? If IBB become the next president of Nigeria will he do all what he has said within the first year or before the end of his administration or would he manipulate Nigerians just as he did in the 8 years of his reign? Is a repented IBB different from the evil genius IBB aka Maradona?
Does IBB have the key to our social and economic problems in Nigeria? Or has IBB opted to repair his battered image among ordinary Nigerians by fighting their battle for them just like Fela and Gani?
Nigerians who have suffered scourges of Military regimes and Nigerians who became victims of bad leaders are watching and reading the lips of IBB with so much skepticisms. A repented IBB can spring surprises. Watch out.
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