By Parrot Newspaper 
IBB’s Book Launch: A Deathbed Confession Disguised as Memoir?
By Ricky Awodi
When former military president General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) recently launched his book, many Nigerians saw it not as a historical account but as a belated attempt to rewrite history and seek public absolution. In what could easily pass as a deathbed confession, the book is filled with selective memories, carefully crafted narratives, and glaring omissions that raise more questions than answers.
IBB’s reign (1985–1993) was marked by economic upheavals, political manipulations, and human rights abuses. His annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election—the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history—remains an unforgivable scar on the nation’s democratic journey. Yet, in his new book, he skirts around this defining act, offering justifications that feel more like excuses than sincere reflections. Is this an honest account, or an attempt to cleanse a legacy marred by decades of national betrayal?
The timing is no coincidence. At 83, with age and frailty catching up, IBB seems eager to shape how history will remember him. But history, unlike memory, is not so easily manipulated. His so-called revelations come too late to be seen as brave. Instead, they resemble the last-minute confessions of a man hoping to secure public sympathy before meeting his maker.
Parrot Newspaper remains committed to speaking truth to power. We will not be swayed by late-life attempts to rewrite history
Nigerians are right to be skeptical. Why speak now? Why not during the years when his words could have prompted meaningful change or reconciliation? A final absolution requires sincerity, accountability, and remorse—not carefully packaged half-truths. IBB’s book may attempt to absolve him, but Nigerians cannot forget the economic hardship from the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), the suppression of press freedom, and the political instability his regime ushered in.
History demands honesty. A true confession acknowledges wrongdoing without self-serving justifications. IBB’s memoir, unfortunately, reads more like a calculated effort to polish a tainted legacy rather than a genuine act of contrition. As Nigerians flip through the pages, many will find not closure, but a fresh reminder of the wounds that remain unhealed.
Parrot Newspaper remains committed to speaking truth to power. We will not be swayed by late-life attempts to rewrite history