FORMER military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida yesterday dared his critics, saying nobody could intimidate him.
“You know, just like you journalists say: publish and be damned. I am a general; I have been in the military for 32 years. I don’t get frightened,” Babangida said in Lagos.
He was referring to the avalanche of criticisms from a section of the public since he was billed to deliver the literary award night lecture organised by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG).
At the head of those who are up in arms against Babangida particularly from the Nigerian literary community is Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.
The critics said the former maximum ruler was not deserving of the kind of honour being bestowed on him by the NLNG in collaboration with the leadership of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).
Prof. Soyinka had on Thursday took the former military leader to the cleaners for allegedly perpetrating heinous crimes bothering on human rights, and his reported deceitful attitude.
He recalled how Babangida deceived Professor Chinua Achebe, Prof. John Pepper Clark-Bekederemo and himself when they visited the former dictator to plead for the lives of the late Gen. Mamman Vatsa and others implicated in an alleged coup.
Babangida had promised to consider and convey their pleas to the ruling military body, only for the coup suspects to be executed a few hours later.
He equally disclosed that the leadership style of Babangida threw up “leaders like Gen. Sani Abacha and Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo.”
But Babangida said yesterday that he was eminently qualified to deliver the literary award’s lecture. “I am more than qualified to deliver the lecture,” he told airport correspondents.
However, in his lecture titled, Human Capital and National Development: Between the Flames of Excellence, Babangida appreciated the efforts made by Nigerian writers such as Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Christopher Okigbo, J.P Clark, Ola Rotimi, Cyprian Ekwensi, Zaynab Alkali, Elechi Amadi and others.
“One of my happiest moments in the service of our country was when we had to dispatch a high-powered delegation to accompany Professor Soyinka to Oslo to receive the Nobel Prize. With Soyinka on that podium, our nation stood tall in its achievement and potentials,” Babangida said.
He had arrived at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMA) at about 5.30pm in a chattered flight, on his way to the Muson Centre, Ikoyi, venue of the award’s night.
The former President, who was dressed in flowing gown and a fitting cap, appraised the progress Nigeria has made since Independence.
He said that the country had done so well compared to other nations that had enjoyed more years since their independence.
He expressed optimism that the country would realise the goals in its Vision 2020, which is to become one of 20 greatest economies in the world.
Babangida noted that his experience spanned the different stages of Nigerian history – the pre-independent period; the 30 months Civil War; the Military years and the present time, stressing his optimism that Nigeria would realise that Vision “because of the quality of the people behind the programme.”
He said: “Well, I was born before Independence so I know where Nigeria was before Independence; immediately after Independence and immediately before the Civil War.
“I think Nigerians are trying very hard, when you compare it (Nigeria) with other nations about 1,000 years old. We are only 47 and with good guys like you (referring to the journalists) we have a hope.
“I am optimistic we shall achieve Vision 2020 because of the quality of the people who are pushing the Vision; people like you, the young generation who are very highly educated and purposeful. So, we the older generation sits down and are very happy.”
Reacting to the wrangling in the House of Representatives, Babangida said it was capable of solving its problem.
Oct72007