By Terngu Sylvanus Nomishan, Lecturer at Federal University Lokoja
A Journey in Service, published by Book Craft Africa in 2025, is a self-reflective account of the life, leadership, and legacy of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), a former military ruler of Nigeria. A memoir that weaves a nuanced insight into the history of Nigeria, its political system, and socio-political evolution. The book is divided into five parts, covering the most relevant phases of Babangida’s life: early years, early military career, governance, in the saddle, and post-presidency reflections. It is an engaging narrative that balances personal anecdotes with national issues.
Babangida starts from his childhood experience in Minna, Niger State. He was born into a modest family and imparted common values, which his mother helped to instil in him. This is in addition to other family qualities like discipline, resilience, and patriotism. His record of education at the Provincial Secondary School, Bida, contributed to greater relative growth in leadership. His memories shine a light on friendships and mentorships that influenced the way he saw the world.
The decision to join the Nigerian Military Training College, Kaduna, marked a watershed moment in his life. Babangida describes his military training in Nigeria, India, the UK, and the US while giving insight into the rigours of training that assisted in moulding his leadership philosophy. The narrative shifts from events surrounding the Nigerian Civil War to the reminiscing of experiences and recollections thereof. His narrative of the war is vivid, built to show his strategic mind on certain occasions in the heat of the politically inspired battles.
Babangida looks at his military promotion through the ranks from a young officer to instructor, and later as commander, giving a behind-the-scenes look at military decision-making. The impact of these decisions on the security of the nation is discussed. The accounts of the book thus richly narrate the political events that greatly influenced Nigeria in the 1970s and 1980s. He recalls his role in several pivotal military coups, offering a glimpse into the reason behind those coups.
He made the painstaking and fateful assessment of Nigeria’s governance before entering office and noted economic mismanagement and political instability as two of the thorny issues he wished to right once in power. This book centres largely on the military presidency of Babangida, from 1985 to 1993, explaining how he came to leadership and the idea he had for Nigeria.
The book takes nothing away from the details of the economic programs of his regime, especially the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). SAP is defended by Babangida as a necessitated but painful measure aimed at restructuring the economy of Nigeria. This sounds more like the current presidency’s justification of the rude and notorious hardship thrown at Nigerians. He acknowledges that SAP had met with public outcry and further outlines efforts his administration made to lessen the adverse effects of SAP through measures such as the People’s Bank and the Community Banks program.
In his narration, Babangida cites his government’s contribution to infrastructure improvement, mentioning the expansion of Abuja and the creation of key institutions such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) among others. Reflections on the relationship between the military and civilian governments come within Babangida’s view of governance. He argues that it was exigencies for the sake of Nigeria that made the military come into government but insists upon his commitment to a democratic transition.
The author discusses foreign policy, emphasising Nigeria’s importance in African diplomatic efforts and peace missions and also economic cooperation. He goes back into the living memory and brings back thoughts about the annulling of Nigeria’s June 12, 1993, presidential elections which became controversial. He recaps the multiply layered political and security reasons informing his decision, albeit acknowledging regret over the aftermath: the annulment resulted in protests throughout the country and political chaos. Babangida discusses the pressure he faced and the long but controversial decision to “step aside” in order to stave off a national crisis.
Nevertheless, this review further acknowledges IBB for his personal role as a military rural, while thoroughly examining his handful of negative decisions and analysing his response to Major General Gideon Orkar’s attempted coup. Controversial policies and movements that had profound repercussions on the nation’s economy, security, and state integrity were part of the IBB government. The current scrutiny critically analyses its chiefly damaging judgments, including the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election, the implementation of the SAP, corruption, media suppression, human rights violations, and its treatment of Major General Gideon Orkar and his associates.
Specifically, the rejection of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, widely considered to be the fairest and freest election in Nigeria, was one of the worst decisions of the government of Babangida. The election, which saw Chief Moshood Abiola emerge as the presumed winner, was suddenly void of legitimacy by IBB, which plunged the country into a chaotic state. Babangida’s argument that “certain forces within the military ” influenced the decision to keep him in power suffers a lack of integrity since his glaringly authoritarian leadership seizure can’t be washed away overnight.
The introduction of the SAP in 1986 by IBB under the supervision of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, resulted in severe fiscal adversity for Nigeria. This policy was geared towards money devaluation, increased loss of national integrity, massive unemployment, and increased poverty. Although he claimed that SAP was set up to diversify the economy, it led to the closure of several local industries, a sharp increase in the cost of living, and the corrosion of the middle class.
Corruption reached unprecedented levels during the IBB administration. Bribery was almost institutionalised, leading to the stealing of countless monies from the State’s coffers. In particular, the Gulf War Oil Windfall theft of approximately $12.4 billion remains unaccounted for. They allegedly disappear into private pockets instead of using the funds for national development.
IBB administration was famous for its barbarian suppression of dissent. Journalists and activists who criticised his administration were detained or harassed. The 1986 assassination of Dele Giwa, a distinguished journalist, using a parcel bomb remains a dark stain on his government. His military dictatorship ruthlessly crushed student protests, labour protests, and other forms of civil resistance. Ununderstandably, Babangida remained committed to bringing Nigeria back to civilian rule using deceptive tactics. Unnecessarily political engineering, the banning and unbanning of politicians, and the imposition of government-created political parties (NRC and SDP) were part of the long-delayed and pretentious transitioning process that spanned from 1987 to 1993. The notorious annulment of the June 12, 1993 elections was a final exposition of this pretentious transition.
The administration of IBB systematically weakened Nigeria’s democratic and leadership institutions. In order to prolong military rule, the legal system was dangerously compromised, while also manipulating the electoral process. The Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC), which held supreme authority, consciously overlooked the constitution and democratic principles. On 22 April 1990, Major General Gideon Orkar led a coup d’etat against the IBB government. Unlike other coup attempts in Nigeria’s history, Orkar’s attempt was unique in its ideological technique, accusing Babangida of mismanaging the state and promoting regional favouritism.
The Orkar coup d’etat dealt with issues of national grievances that resonated with a lot of Nigerians. He accused IBB of promoting ethnic dominance, regional sentiment, corruption, and deteriorating patriotic integrity among the masses. His pronouncement that five northern states be expelled from Nigeria for their alleged preparation towards national disturbance, was outrightly dismissed by the IBB administration.
To date, no kind of investigation into the claims of Major Orkar has been done, even though some of his prophetic fears concerning Nigeria have already been seen. In response to the coup d’etat, IBB was mostly defensive and dispassionate. He reduces his concerns to ‘regional sentiment’ and ‘accusation of minorities’. He vehemently refused to deal with serious challenges such as economic deterioration and adversity, corruption, disunity, and public instability. Instead, he concentrated on the senseless justification of the execution of Orkar along with several other military personnel especially those involved in the Orkar attempted coup d’état.
The policies promoted by the administration of IBB exacerbated cultural tension in the country. While his removal of federal capital from Lagos to Abuja was tactical, it was perceived as a decision meant to favour northern interests. Similarly, his manipulation of political appointments and support of politics of regional interests further planted the existing ethnoreligious divide in Nigeria. IBB seat-tight tactics further reinforced and gave the military solid confidence in their brutal rule of Nigeria. He empowers certain military officers, such as General Sani Abacha, to ensure that the cycle of military rule prevails after his exit. His inability to win in the struggle against the depoliticisation of the military created sustained uncertainty after his departure.
After the annulment of the June 12 elections, Nigeria enters a period of mass protest and courteous insubordination. In August 1993, Babangida was coerced to hand over authority to an interim government headed by Ernest Shonekan. His departure was not a sign of statesmanship but rather a last-minute attempt to seal his pretence towards a transitioned government. IBB’s tenure as a military ruler is one of the most controversial in Nigeria’s history. The nation was profoundly divided and economically weakened by his monetary policies, political manipulations, and authoritarian rule. It is a legacy of unfulfilled promises, corruption, and deep-rooted structural difficulties that Nigeria still faces today.
About the Author
Terngu Sylvanus Nomishan Terngu Sylvanus Nomishan holds Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Archaeology, from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria-Nigeria.
He is currently pursuing a PhD in Archaeology and Tourism at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Terngu also holds a certificate in Open and Distance Education from UNESCO; a certificate in World Heritage from The Open University, United Kingdom; a certificate in Tourism Management at UNESCO World Heritage Sites, anchored by the France Université Numérique, and the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, France. He is a lecturer in the Department of Archaeology and Museum Studies, Federal University Lokoja, Nigeria. His research areas include Cultural Anthropology, Ethnoarchaeology, Cultural Heritage Studies, Critical heritage, Museum Studies, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Cultural Resource Management (CRM), Tourism Studies, and African Studies. He has published quality articles and book chapters in both local and international renowned journals and books. His latest book “Heritage, Memory, and Identity: New Perspectives on the Swem, an African Traditional Justice System” has gained wide acceptance evident in its translation into five foreign languages (German, Italian, French, Spain, and Portuguese). Terngu is an Inaugural Council Member of the Pan-African Scientific Research Council, Princeton University, USA, and an Associate Fellow of the African Academics Network. He is a member of the UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab. He serves as an Editorial Assistant for the Nigerian Journal of Archaeology (NJA), published by the Archaeological Association of Nigeria (AAN), and Editorial Secretary for the Journal of Nigeria Transport History (JNTH), published by the Nigeria Transport History Association. Terngu aspires to create frameworks that integrate cultural heritage and tourism as tools for peacebuilding and economic growth, particularly in areas affected by conflict. He envisions a society where cultural heritage is not only preserved but also actively utilised to address contemporary social and economic challenges.