According to Vanguard, former military president Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) is preparing to release his long-anticipated autobiography.
The memoir, titled A Journey in Service, is set to be launched on February 20 at an event held at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja. The launch will coincide with the 32nd anniversary of Babangida’s departure from office.
The release marks a notable shift from Babangida’s stance eight years ago when he expressed doubts about Nigerians finding his book inspiring.
During an interview with Channels Television, Babangida cited misconceptions surrounding his leadership, particularly regarding the June 12 crisis and his policies during his presidency, which lasted from 1985 to 1993.
Babangida remarked:
“People might avoid reading the autobiography because it is written by a dictator. Many will label me a dictator and point to my cancellation of June 12, which could harm the book’s reception.”
He further explained that he believed the true story of the June 12 election had not been fully understood by the public.
“If God spares my life, I will discuss the June 12 election because I still believe people don’t get what we were trying to put across,” he said.
Babangida emphasized that no one had taken the time to present a different perspective on the June 12 matter. He stated:
“No one has ever attempted to discuss the relationship between the two individuals involved or what went wrong. We tried to explain the reasons behind our actions, but no one is willing to listen to our side.”
Reflecting on his leadership and decisions, Babangida lamented the lack of exploration into his side of the story. He stressed that his perspective on the June 12 election and his presidency had not been properly examined.
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