By Bala Ibrahim
It’s now slightly over one week since the release of IBB’s famous memoirs, A Journey in Service, which seems more like a journey of scolding. From the beginning of the book to the end, everything the retired General and former Nigerian military President said is receiving bashing, fierce criticism, or opposition from concerned citizens.
Although former President Olusegun Obasanjo had predicted the scenario, I am sure that at the time he made up his mind to write the book, IBB did not envisage the coming of such harsh and prejudicial attacks on his silent life, as a General who has vamoosed into rapturous retirement.
He might have thought the book may help in quelling the anger and rebellion of the June 12 agitators, but perhaps, he didn’t anticipate the potency of the unpronounced political demagogues, whose support easily arrives, by appealing to the prejudices of the ordinary people, especially those that are gifted with the skills of slating erroneous leaders. And indeed, IBB’s memoirs have evoked the anger of many of them.
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, from whom Nigeria borrowed its style of democracy said, sometimes, it is better to remain silent and be thought of as a fool than to speak in order to remove all doubt.
Yes, it’s better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, than talk and be turned into a tool of humiliation.
IBB thought by bringing out his memoirs, Nigerians would applaud and sympathize with his situation, but the book came with reversed reactions. Some even said it would have been better if he had remained quiet.
According to Epictetus, the Greek philosopher who made name through his work in Stoicism, that branch of philosophy that taught people to endure all things without showing emotion, it’s better to keep silent for the most part, and speak only when you must, and then briefly. Silence he said, can convey what words cannot.
“Silence often speaks louder than words. There is power in silence, for it allows us to listen to our inner voice.”
The launch of IBB’s Journey in Service had drawn a gathering of elite from all over Africa, including past and present leaders, who took time to reflect on his legacy as Nigeria’s Military president and the state of democracy in the West African region.
The book, perused Babangida’s contributions to Nigeria’s political history, the various military coups in Nigeria and the region, as well as his perceived lifestyle as a playboy.
Ordinarily, the book would have been a historical enrichment and a palatable read, but because of the circumstances of presentation, alongside the suspicion with which the “Maradona” is held, everything in the book seems sealed, and shipped to the storage space, as a suspect. Everyone with reservations on the book is asking the General to say sorry to Nigeria and Nigerians.
In fact, Chief Femi Falana(SAN), has announced his plans to sue IBB, for admitting at last, the very thing they said, which he, as military ruler then, bundled them into prison, charging them with treasonable felony.
Had Babangida kept quiet, probably, the situation would not call for such angst. In my days as a reporter, I had cause to interact with Professor Ismaila Tsiga of Bayero University Kano, who was working on the Biography of late Sheik Abubakar Gumi, may Allah forgive his sins, ameen.
Before the publication of the book, captioned, Where I Stand, a portion had lampooned Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as Nigeria’s Head of state. In order to get a balance, the journalist in me asked me to approach Gen.Buhari, who was then resting at his Halliru Dantoro road residence in Kaduna. Indeed I did, and lo and behold, Gen.Buhari said he would not react to what late Gumi said about him.
In any case, he said, the man is late, so, of what benefit would it be to me, if I counter the submission of someone who is not alive to confirm or deny it. The good thing is that Gen. Buhari eulogized the late Gumi as a man that was deeply religious and one that was honest, and truthful with a passion for moral and ethical codes of behaviour.
He said to me, “the Mallam that I know, would never tell a lie, so if he lampooned me, so be it. But I would not counter what he said about me, since he is late. Tell the publisher to publish everything as said by Mallam. If I want, I can also write my own book. But I would rather keep quiet “.
Recently, I also stumbled on a video clip on social media, where the same Gen. Buhari was telling the world, why he doesn’t want to write a book.
Although his reason in the video was because, as he puts it in the video, he would be compelled to abuse some people, a transgression he doesn’t want to commit, because, it could be archived in the bookshelf of history, with the likelihood of their children stumbling on them.
Well, IBB has not seen it the way Gen.Buhari saw it. He has written his book, which is generating a serious brouhaha, including the calls for him to say sorry.
It is now left for him to see the seriousness of shrugging off the scorn of saying such sorry.
