Dear Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida,
Allow me some level of honesty. I am not a fan. I have never been and will never be. To be honest, I do not like you. I know that sounds very personal but believe me, you have enough enemies to last you a lifetime, I will not give you the honour of adding my name to the list. So, I am just gon’ tell it like it is. “Me, I no like you. Shikina!”
I came home today, and as usual, decided to read a few news stories on the web. You see, I have this habit of always going straight to the Africa section of the international news websites I visit. The first thing I saw was a picture of you and I got curious as to why you were making front page on the BBC Africa Section. Then I read the headline and if I say I got angry, I would be lying. I was livid beyond reason. I was so mad, I even gave you the honour of gracing my Facebook status with these words, “If Nigerians elect that thief and brute known as Ibrahim Badamasi Babaginda as president, they might as well say “otito” (finito) to change and the future of their children. I know they say people change, but the likes of him don’t.” I meant what I wrote and I wrote what I meant, people like you do not change. I am sure you are a nice man and those who know you real well, would say the same, after all, they benefited from your brutality and I am certain you enriched them real good for them to leap to your defense and say you are the best thing since sliced bread.
I have sometimes wondered, who was the more lenient brutal Derg we had going, you or Sani Abacha? Your brutality and that of Sani Abacha are like no other Nigeria has seen. Some argue Abacha was worse but I do not give a frigging fork or spoon if he was worse or the nicer evil genius. Evil is evil, there is no good evil. Being that your nickname is ‘Evil genius,’ a name I understand you gave yourself. Whether or not you gave this name to yourself, you could not have picked a much perfect name to describe yourself. Well done.
By the way, let me categorically make it clear that the day Abacha died, I was doubly excited. It was the type of death most befitting to a dog. I know it is wrong to speak ill of the dead, for we have been raised to respect our elders when they are doing wrong, well, I changed my mind about that a long time ago. I also know it is wrong to celebrate the demise of others but he had his date and day set with death considering the evil he committed and the blood that stained his hands and his whole lineage…a topic for another day because I believe that also applies to you.
Your name leaves a sour taste in my mouth, your actions cost us years that could have seen Nigeria rise up. Instead, we were going down to the bottom of the ocean like a ship because we had a captain that was power drunk. The billions of money that have never been accounted for though we all know you enriched yourself. The lives you took and the innocent blood that was spilled and shed because of you. Hence, to think that you would step forward to declare your interest to once again lead Nigeria is not absurd, it is painful to hear and above all, makes you the best subject for a tragicomic character when my generation decides to write the history of Nigeria.
You know what I find really insulting, the bodacious move with which you showed your face and declared your intentions. I feel insulted because people like you, among the other members of the ‘Derg regimes’ in different parts of the world have no right to even speak let alone talk about leading. What and who do you want to lead because Nigerians would all have to ask themselves why they should vote for you? I know you can buy the election, being that we have a shabby electoral system and who knows, if you have not done that already. But let me ask you this, do the likes of you never get tired of taking, taking and never giving?
The way I see it, if you want to run for presidency in order to redeem yourself, return Nigeria’s money. How about that for a good start? I know Obasanjo (OBJ) came out of uniform and donned an Agbada to lead, yet not much changed. You all come back and recycle the same old shit that you have always done. It’s all about you, yourself and you, and your family when you all get there. To think you want to be president again makes me so sick to my stomach that I do not care who reads this blog and thinks, who is the lady and what is she about? I am angry. I may not live in Nigeria but times like this, the ability to make words work for you seem to be a good tool and weapon to fight back. The oppression, suppression and repression suffered by millions of Nigerians because of you makes history sour and vile, and I hope history disallows any justice to be served to you in any form shape or way for you do not deserve it. If Nigerians give you a second chance, they may well kiss away their future.
I was once told, “Never date the devil just because you are desperate for love.” Those same words, I would like to offer to my generation, there is no need eating with the enemy when you know what the outcome will be. The way I see it, giving you another chance is like taking ourselves to the slaughter house or drycleaners to be finished off. Ibrahim Badamasi Babaginda, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER US. This is not about leading Nigeria to the promise land. This is your comeback to finally rape the nation and finish her off. I am sure by the time you leave her incontinent and no one has any need of her, you will be more than satisfied.
I believe it is in our pain that we discover our humanity. Obviously, you are yet to discover yours. The mistakes you made were continued by Abacha and those mistakes have cost millions of lives…from those who cannot afford healthcare to those who desire a good education but do not have it to those who live in abject poverty while you live in opulence. Are you not ashamed of your own record? What possesses a man like you to come forward?
For a man who annulled the June 12 elections of 1993, which is still considered one of the free and fairest elections ever held in Nigeria, you have got the bloody cheek to open your mouth and say you want to run. In annulling that election, you trampled on the rights of the very people you now want to come back and lead. You silenced their voice and call for change, and now you think you are the right person to come back and lead. How dare you IBB? How the hell dare you? Wait, do you own Nigeria? Did you buy her at an auction house or is she a prostitute that can be tossed from one ex-military/civilian ruler to another? Just what the hell are you playing at?
I know they call you Maradona for your rather stupid political dribbles and manipulations but hell, if you become president again, it would be the saddest day in the history of Nigeria. For then, it would truly be finished. Nigeria is at a crucial junction and I personally pray, history does away with you before you can do her more harm than good.
When I take a step back from my impassioned dislike of you, I do not blame you either. I blame the frigging PDP and political elites who have been playing with the destiny of Nigeria by giving the likes of you tickets to run for presidency because you are from the North, South, East or frigging West, yet have no political knowledge of how a country should be run. You all run the nation like you are trading at the old Yaba market. Awon oshi! The whole lot of you…frigging forsaken bastards.
I also hold us, the citizens of Nigeria accountable, for we do not have a democratic structure and in our own way, perpetuate the crimes we accuse the long list of bastards we have for leaders, of committing. We have all succeeded in bastardising the nation and its future. Do go head and have what’s left. Help yourself, in fact, knock your self out.
Let me at this point, say in spite my personal dislike of you, I would like to offer my deep condolences on the loss of your wife, Maryam Babaginda. Her Better Life programme was a good initiative. Now, stop talking about running for presidency, grow old in peace while seeking peace for your soul when you cross over.
You see, if you can find that kind of empathy within you, you will realise that sitting your old arse in your corner is the best thing you can ever do for Nigeria.
With No Best Wishes or Luck
Image: Sun Newspaper, Nigeria
