The Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, was a Mecca of sorts on Thursday as A-list continental and national dignitaries gathered to honour Nigeria’s former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, for the launch of his memoir and presidential library.
T and former military leader Ibrahim Babangida at the book presentation and presidential library launch on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
The launch of Babangida’s 420-page memoir titled, ‘A Journey in Service: An Autobiography of Ibrahim Babangida’ had some of the most decorated men in attendance including former Presidents and Heads of State Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, Yakubu Gowon, and Abdulsalami Abubakar as well as former Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar, Namadi Sambo and Yemi Osinbajo who reviewed the book.
President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were also present. Billionaire businesspersons including Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Tony Elumelu, and Folorunsho Alakija, among others, were not left out of the roll call of the who’s who including Labour Party’s Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
Former President Muhammadu Buhari was represented at the book launch. Interestingly, IBB played a role in the coup that enthroned Buhari, yet the Maradona orchestrated the coup that removed him.
Continental figures like former Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, who delivered the keynote speech, and former Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Wonie Bio also graced the event.
One major highlight of the launch was the admittance by the former head of state known by the sobriquet ‘evil genius’, ‘Maradona’ or even ‘IBB’ that the late philanthropist and democracy hero Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola won the June 12, 1993, annulled presidential election.
Babangida told the gathering that he regretted his decision to have annulled the poll but would do things differently if he had to do it all over.
“Looking back now, the June 12 saga was undeniably the most challenging moment of my life and, in certain respects, one of the most painful. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it differently,” he stated.
Babangida said he was gratified that Buhari recognised MKO Abiola as a former head of state.
The event saw the lavish donations of billions of naira to the launch of the IBB Presidential Library.
Africa’s richest man, Dangote, said he would donate N2bn annually for the next four years to the development of the library. BUA Group Chair Rabiu donated N5bn, former army chief Gen TY Danjuma donated N3bn, and businessman Arthur Eze pledged N500m, among others.
