By David A. B. Mark
At 85, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida is not merely celebrating another birthday. He is celebrating a remarkable journey through the history of Nigeria, a journey in which he has played an extraordinary and unforgettable role.
For me, however, General Babangida is much more than the soldier, military leader and statesman known to history. He is my boss, a mentor and, most importantly, a man whose family has become part of mine.
Our relationship goes back many decades and was forged in the most demanding circumstances of national service. I had the rare privilege of serving under him in different capacities, first as Military Governor of Niger State, his home state; later as Minister of Communications; and subsequently as a member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC).
Those were not merely official assignments. They were years of shared responsibility, difficult decisions, national challenges and above all, deep bonds of trust.
Serving as Military Governor of Niger State gave me a particularly intimate connection to the man behind the uniform. I was entrusted with the leadership of the state that produced him, and that responsibility brought me closer to his roots, his people and his personal history.
I saw firsthand the deep affection with which the people of Niger State regarded him. I also came to understand that beneath the formidable image of the military officer popularly called the “IBB,” there was a man who valued friendship, loyalty and human relationships.
Our paths continued to cross at the highest levels of national service. As Communications Minister and later as a member of the AFRC, I witnessed his leadership from close quarters. We shared moments of intense national anxiety, difficult policy choices and historic decisions.
History will judge the Babangida years in its own way. There will always be debates about his policies, decisions and the political choices made during that period. That is the nature of history and the burden of leadership.
But those of us who worked closely with him know that leadership is never as simple as it appears from the distance of history.
I remember General Babangida as a leader who possessed an extraordinary political instinct, a sharp military mind and an uncanny ability to read people and situations. He could be firm when circumstances demanded firmness, but he also understood the power of conversation, persuasion and human relationships.
Over the years, our official relationship matured into something much deeper, friendship between our families.
The Babangidas became family friends, and that relationship has endured long after the uniforms were put away and official positions became history. We have shared moments of joy and sorrow, celebrations and difficult times.
At 85, therefore, I celebrate not only the former Military President but the man I have known personally for decades.
I celebrate the commander who carried enormous responsibilities.
I celebrate the leader who occupied the centre stage of Nigerian history at one of its most turbulent periods.
And I celebrate my boss and leader, a man who has given a significant part of his life to Nigeria.
General Babangida’s journey also reminds us that nations are built not only by institutions, but by relationships, sacrifices, difficult choices and the courage to confront the circumstances of one’s time.
Today, as he clocks 85, I look beyond the titles, the controversies and the historical debates. I see a man with whom I have shared a remarkable chapter of Nigeria’s story and a friendship that has survived the passage of time.
General Sir, as you celebrate this extraordinary milestone, accept my warmest congratulations and heartfelt appreciation for the years of friendship, camaraderie and shared service to our beloved country.
May God continue to preserve you, strengthen you and grant you many more years in good health, peace and fulfilment.
May He continue to bless your family and grant you the grace to enjoy the fruits of a long and eventful life.
Nigeria will always remember your place in its history. I will always cherish your role in my life.
Happy 85th Birthday, my Boss.
SENATOR MARK,
President of the 6th & 7th Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria, is
Chairman, African Democratic Congress (ADC).