Former Ogun State governor Olusegun Osoba has made a startling revelation about ex-military Head of State Ibrahim Babangida's (IBB) tenure. According to Osoba, IBB was held hostage by those who helped him overthrow General Muhammadu Buhari in 1985. This group, which included late Sani Abacha and Aliyu Gusau, exerted significant control over IBB's actions while he was in power.
Osoba shared this insight in an interview with ThisDay, recalling a meeting with IBB where he and other journalists confronted the military president about his government's shortcomings. IBB reportedly confessed that he had no choice but to listen to his fellow coupists, stating, "I am hostage to those who staged the coup and those who put me here... if I didn't listen to what they wanted, they would get me out in seconds."
Osoba's account suggests that IBB's powers were not absolute, and that he was beholden to the interests of those who brought him to power. This revelation provides a unique perspective on the dynamics of military rule in Nigeria and the constraints that IBB faced during his tenure. It also highlights the importance of a free press in holding those in power accountable, even under challenging circumstances.
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