By Kolawole Ojebisi
Former Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has decided to release his much- anticipated autobiography.
Expected to be a tour de force, the autobiography titled, “A Journey In Service” is scheduled to be launched on February 20.
Recall that exactly seven years ago, IBB expressed doubts about writing an autobiography, saying he was uncertain if Nigerians would “want to read about a dictator”.
He added that the public has a wrong impression of him, citing his role in the June 12 crisis, and some of the controversial policies he unfurled between 1985 and 1993 as military President.
However, IBB appears to have had a rethink and decided to capture his eventful and impactful life in a book for this generation and posterity to savour.
This decision is revealed in an invite dispatched to dignitaries this week.According to the invite, the board of trustees of the IBB Presidential Library Foundation announced that the book launch will take place alongside a fundraising for a presidential library, at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
The organisers said the event would be chaired by Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president; with President Bola Tinubu as the special guest of honour.
The keynote address would be delivered by Nana Akufo-Addo, former president of Ghana. Yemi Osinbajo, former vice-president, would review the autobiography.
Other guests billed to attend include ex-presidents Muhammadu Buhari, former military Heads of State, Yakubu Gowon, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and former president Goodluck Jonathan.
Gen Theophilus Danjuma, a former minister of defence; and Abdul Samad Rabiu, chairman of BUA Group; were named as chief launchers.
Recall that IBB reportedly led the group of officers who toppled General Muhammadu Buhari in a bloodless coup in 1985 to become Nigeria’s Military President.
Though many biographies have been written about him by various authors, Nigerians can’t wait to hear from the horse’s mouth what prompted certain decisions during his eight-year reign as Nigeria’s helmsman.
