Prominent Nigerian journalists and members of the academic community have heavily criticised Autobiography: “A Journey in Service”, the recently released autobiography of the nation’s first military president, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), describing it as plagiarised, poorly written, and lacking credibility.
These views were expressed during the Toyin Falola Interviews, held on Zoom on Sunday, 16 March 2025.
The interactive session, moderated by Professor Toyin Falola of the University of Texas at Austin, featured a panel comprising Senator Babafemi Ojudu, a former representative of Ekiti Central Senatorial District; Professor Moses Ochonu, an African history scholar at Vanderbilt University; Wale Lawal, founder of The Republic; and Azubuike Ishiekwene, former Punch Newspaper editor and current editor, Leadership.
Ojudu asserted that IBB did not personally write the book, suggesting that external pressures influenced its publication.
He argued that IBB was uninterested in accountability, stating, “IBB is not interested in explaining anything to anybody. Somebody put pressure on him to write the book.”
Ojudu further described Babangida as a man plagued by guilt and the consequences of his political manoeuvres, adding that he remains “a victim of his own imagination and plots.”
He contended that Nigeria remains the primary casualty of Babangida’s governance, stating that the country may not recover from his administration’s failures even in the next 50 years.
He also decried the decay in governance and electoral processes, lamenting that elections have become compromised, with courts now determining winners rather than the electorate.
Azubuike Ishiekwene underscored the severe human rights violations under Babangida’s rule, noting that 78 people were executed during his administration.
According to him, the Decree used to convict and execute General Mammal Vatsa was promulgated after his arrest adding that Vatsa was denied his constitutional right of appealing his death sentence before executing him.
He also alleged that IBB spent 20 percent of the national budget on vehicles for military officers to secure their loyalty. Additionally, he accused Babangida of suppressing press freedom, claiming that he shut down nearly 70 newspapers.
Lawal and Ochonu explored the motivations behind the autobiography, suggesting that Babangida sought to control the narrative surrounding his legacy.
Ochonu argued that the book was driven by fear and an attempt to shape public memory.
He criticised Babangida’s justification of military coups in Africa and his attempt to absolve himself of responsibility for Nigeria’s structural failures by blaming individual politicians.
Ochonu further noted that Nigerians are more concerned with Babangida’s omissions than with his self-serving revelations.
“Nigerians are outraged by IBB’s attempt to rewrite history,” he remarked, stressing that the book has ignited discussions that will likely lead to counter-narratives from other historians and political observers.
The forum’s attendees unanimously agreed that Babangida’s book leaves significant gaps, which should be addressed by other writers with insider knowledge of his regime.
As Azubuike concluded, “IBB’s book is a catalyst for more books to address the gaps in his account.”
