Babangida on Maryam, family and the children

Many appellations had been bestowed on him by Nigerians; ‘Maradona,’ and ‘evil genius,’ are some of the most prominent of these but the acronym of his name IBB became a personal brand identity over time, as he became the poster boy of protests in the last days of military rule in Nigeria. There was fear of and admiration for the gap-toothed general in the media. His family was adored by many. Just a few days’ shy from his 80th birthday, the former military leader and elder statesman in an interview with ARISE NEWS Channel reflects on his life and marriage to the late Maryam, Vanessa Obioha reports.

“Regrets?”

The former military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), asked the interviewer, Ngozi Alaegbu, again, with his head bent as if to search through the penetralia of his mind. His answer would suggest that for the close to eight years he ruled Nigeria as a military leader; thus the man whose policies still influence the politics of Nigeria has little or no regret.

But he did have one wish: that his parents were alive to see him become not only a military officer but a prominent personality in the affairs of the nation. Babangida lost both parents, Mohammad and Aisha, when he was only 14. Mohammad and Aisha Babangida. It is one incident that he still would wish could be reversed.

“Every day it comes to me and I wish one of them or both of them were alive when I became a military officer,” he said.
This yearning stemmed from their prayers for him as a little child. He recollected eavesdropping in their conversations and learning of their prayers and confidence that he will grow to become an influential personality in his community.

“As God will have it, they didn’t get to see me grow up within the community.”
Notwithstanding, if his parents were to glimpse his achievements throughout the years, they would have thumped their chest in pride for IBB, as he is fondly called, has succeeded beyond their expectations.

Shortly after his parent’s death, he attended Government College Bida where he met other influential politicians such as the 1998-1999 Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd). Babangida proceeded to Nigerian Military Training College in 1962 and received his commission as a second lieutenant as a regular combatant officer in the Royal Nigerian Army almost a year later. He received further military training from different institutions including the Royal Armoured Centre in the United Kingdom, where he received instruction in gunnery and the Saladin armoured car.

Bravery- a necessary trait for soldiers- spurned Babangida on during the Nigerian Civil War in the late 1960s. As the commander of the 44 Infantry Battalion which was involved in heavy fighting within the Biafran territory, Babangida suffered a gunshot on the right side of his chest during a reconnaissance operation from Enugu to Umuahia in 1969. His battalion had come under heavy enemy fire in Uzuakoli in Abia. He was immediately flown to Lagos, a gesture he still finds unusual.

Doctors offered to remove the shrapnel but Babangida, as valiant as ever, refused. As he laid on the hospital bed, his life flashed before his eyes and the elder statesman, for a moment, knew that he wanted more from life. “The first thing that struck me when I was in the hospital bed… I said why the hell, I could have been dead. So I wouldn’t be a married man just like my commander,” he wondered at the time.

The Commander-in-Chief at the time was General Yakubu Gowon who according to the former Head of State had gotten married during that period.

“He got married around that period: April-May. I was very impressed with the way their marriage was going.”
Whether the thought of marriage had crossed his mind before the near-death experience or not, what was evident was that the ‘evil genius’ as the media called him had no intention to leave the earthly plane without experiencing marital bliss.

“So, I made up my mind that I will get married immediately I get out of this hospital bed. And God was kind. I got well, so getting married became my first priority, that’s it.”

The lucky woman to steal the heart of the soldier turned out to be the late activist, Maryam Okogwu.

“I knew her before I got wounded. I was very frequent at their house and her brothers, cousins and the whole family were with me. So when I asked, there was no opposition whatsoever. Few months later we got married.”

Babangida and Maryam tied the nuptials on September 6, 1969, shortly before her 21st birthday, while he, Babangida, had just turned 28. They were blessed with four children. Until her death in 2009, Maryam was renowned for her fashion and penchant for women development.

She would be remembered for creating the office of the First Lady of Nigeria which she used to champion her causes for women including the Better Life Programme for Rural Women in 1987 which launched many co-operatives, cottage industries, farms and gardens, shops and markets, women’s centres and social welfare programs. Following the launch of the programme, other wives of military governors were tasked to understand the plight of rural women in their specific states and create projects that will benefit rural women and linking such projects to the appropriate state ministry. However, the programme was criticized for its use of public funds by a first lady. Analysts and critics questioned whether it was constitutional or not and viewed the project as a means to increase the personality of the first lady. By the time her husband resigned from the military leadership in 1993, the programme was terminated.

Yet, the legacy of Maryam cannot be eroded. She redefined the role of wives of presidents as well as governors through the creation of the First Lady Office. Throughout her time in office, she fought for women issues vigorously, creating different initiatives as well as reaching out to the first ladies of other African countries to emphasize the effective role they can play in improving the lives of their people.

Although Babangida loves his late wife, he wouldn’t give her all the credit for the success of her developmental projects. He revealed that she had some of the best women drawn from civil service and private sector to drive the ideas behind all the women programmes. Thus, he amplified the power of leadership in maximizing collective effort.

“I think what went for her was that she worked with some of the best brains: women in this country, and they were really committed to uplifting the status of women in the country. Some of them in the university, some in public service, they were always working; ‘what do we do?’, ‘how do we do it?’ And that was the secret behind the success,” said Babangida.

Beyond her activism, Maryam from Delta State, was a fashion icon. Her glamorous attires at functions were attention-grabbing and yes, legendary.
But on December 27, 2009, the news of Maryam’s death — which started as a rumour in November of that year — was announced. She had died of ovarian cancer at age 61. Babangida was said to have been by her side at the time of her death.

Recognised as one of the greatest women to have emerged from Africa, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa accompanied by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal immortalised the memories of Maryam Babangida by commissioning the Maryam Babangida Way in Delta State capital, Asaba, her hometown on March 19, 2020. This year, despite being the 12th anniversary of Maryam’s death, Babangida is yet to remarry. Commenting on his decision, he gave a witty remark:

“The women don’t like my face,” he laughed. Slowly, his demeanor changed to a more serious one when he added: “Meanwhile I think it is not easy, that is the way I am.”
One thing that continued to ring true for the retired Nigerian Army General is that he is a builder of men and women. It is no secret that those who seek to pass through the revolving doors of Aso rock make the long trek to his palatial abode in Minna, his hometown in Niger State. Despite the pillories that trailed him following his decision to annul the 1993 presidential election, Babangida still commands respect for both the young and old. Could it be that he got a Midas touch?

“l feel comfortable wherever I am; whether in Minna or Lagos, and I quickly make friends. I don’t disown people, even those I don’t know very well, I don’t disown them, I stick with them, I think that is the main reason,” he explained.
Babangida who became the Head of State in Nigeria in 1985 goes by many appellations, bestowed on him by Nigerians and the media.

“That’s a very good thing about Nigerian media and people. You have to anticipate them and if you anticipate them you live very well with them.”
Some called him the evil genius, a moniker he said he never called himself.
“I never did. The media did…I marvel at that contradiction. You can’t be evil and a genius so you have to make up what you think is an evil genius.”

Reflecting on the use of the nickname, ‘Maradona’ in the media, which he took in his strides, he traced it to his political activities of that period.
“I got it again from the definition of the media. They said deft political moves, that’s what the media described it.” Of course, he always had the best responses for the media. Journalists thought he was very clever and so came the nickname.

Perhaps, the ‘maradonic’ way — as he puts it — he handled the June 12, 1993 elections only consolidated that sobriquet.
“If it (June 12 elections) materialised, there would have been a coup d’etat which would have been violent. That’s all I can confirm. It didn’t happen thanks to the engineering. The Maradonic way we handled you guys in the society but that could have given room for more instability in the country,” he told the interviewer in response to her question about Nigerians’ curiosity over the happenings that led to his decision.

As his 80th birthday approaches, Babangida feels good, thanking God for the gift of life. He would love to think that he made a contribution that made society better.
“Now, having left office for the last 28 years, I don’t think that… Come to think of it, I think we were right here. A lot of things are happening and those things convinced me that after all, we didn’t do badly. Maybe those things were not understood. For example, you mentioned the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). I told Nigerians in 1986 when we were introducing SAP that people who take advantage of what we were trying to do will succeed in life but those who can’t will go under. I said that in 1986 and today I was proved right; people took advantage of what we did and today they are the powers of industry, economic gurus and they were provided with an environment to say what you want when you want and how you want it and you don’t get shot or locked up in prison. So, I think I made a contribution to society in order to make the society better,” he concluded.