Eminent Nigerians, including former head of state, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), and former Senate president, David Mark, yesterday urged leaders across the country to emulate the inclusive leadership qualities of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida
Abubakar who recalled his early childhood years with Babangida said the former military president displayed leadership qualities from a young age, serving as class monitor in primary school and later as head boy in secondary school.
“He is quite accommodating and generous to a fault; he can deprive himself to make sure someone is okay.” Mark also recalled how as minister of communications the military president gave him a free hand to revitalise NITEL, leading to the establishment of two earth stations. He said Babangida insisted on a two party system despite a lot of pressure on him to do more than two parties.
He however urged secessionist groups to desist from stoking the embers of war, noting that having experienced war just like Babangida, it was not a tea party. The PDP chieftain recalled that Babangida founded the raw materials development Council in order to address the way foreigners were exporting raw materials from the country.
“There was an incident that attracted me to him. He stood up for a junior officer who was being bullied. He cared for the junior officers working under him,” he recalled. Speaking also, Prof Sam Oyovbaire, underscored the need for the next leader to have a firm understanding of the country. “He didn’t singlehandedly annul the June 12 election. People were behind it but unfortunately, the buck stopped somewhere. Babangidas administration was a success. I hope the incumbent admins will look into some of the things,” she said.
On his part, renowned political economist and member of the defunct National Electoral Commission , Prof Adele Jinadu, expressed concern over the widening ethnic divide, warning that “the way we are going, if we are not careful, it can tear the country apart.”Former minister of External Affairs, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi, said IBB was more interested in the idea of individualism in recruiting people into his government and not where the person comes from.
He also noted IBB’s “inclusive approach to governance,” adding that “he didn’t tolerate tribalism; he had friends across the country; he believed in Nigeria.”Similarly, former minister of foreign affairs, Senator Ike Nwachukwu, hailed Babangida for his role in stabilizing neighboring African countries.
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