IBB :Don’t Get Me Wrong on Younger Generation

04.19.2010 - ThisDay

Former military president Ibrahim Babangida has said that Nigerians should not misconstrue his recent comments about younger generation and leadership of the Nigerian nation

“I have read the printed version of my BBC interview particularly on the celebrated captions concerning leadership and the younger generation which tend to portray my positive intentions in bad light.

“To all intents and purposes, my concept of generational leadership in national development is different form the way it is captured and reported by the media which portrays a different meaning.

“Perceptions and impressions operate in different context. I have always been an advocate of generational leadership change; again, the younger generation idea which I promoted through new breed politics of late nineties needs be responsive, and active players in the governance process,” he said.

Babangida in a statement issued yesterday on his behalf by his spokesman, Kassim Afegbua, declared ‘’I was merely throwing up a challenge to younger generation – to pick up a gauntlet and be more involved in the political process – to give fillip and rationale for introducing the concept in the first place.

‘’Given the manifest complexities in the country since 1995 till date,we as a nation, must build strong institutions to prepare the way for generation leadership empowerment. We need a strong, bold and experienced leadership to contend with these complexities and build the strong institutions required to make things happen.


“Countries all over the world and advanced democracies have had their own share from the younger generation. This will be my new role if  given the opportunity to serve,” he said.

How can IBB say he was misunderstood when this was the quote: “Because we have seen signs that they are not capable of leading this country and so we feel we should help them.  May be they are not given the proper education that is why.  I have spent 17 years since I left office. 

“But a country like Nigeria cannot be ruled by people without experience. People like the (President Barack) Obama that you are speaking about have the experience. He started from the state House of Assembly to the House of Represen-tatives and to the Senate. If our youths are like this, we will say they have the requisite experience. But we have not reached that level. Honestly, it is our wish that God will bring the younger people that will take over from us if they are available.”

Why didn't he tell Yar'adua that when he was in closed-door meeting with him in Minna before the 2007 elections. They conspired and selected someone incapable for us, sold him and exactly what we need at that point and now?

IBB doesn't know that the only people that have remained in 1993 are Nigeria's leaders. This is not your 1985-1993 Nigeria, IBB. Go back to your mountain top and loot!

nope he paraphrased, the man just can't say sorry.

’Given the manifest complexities in the country since 1995 till date,we as a nation, must build strong institutions to prepare the way for generation leadership empowerment. We need a strong, bold and experienced leadership to contend with these complexities and build the strong institutions required to make things happen.

This explanation is simply saying the same thing. That young people not up to the job right now.

It is aakin to his claim that he cancelled the election, he did not annul it. (you simply have not said anything new, just say sorry. It is more dignifying)

What a theater of the absurd this looney of a senile old man would show to the whole world? Well, who doesn't know that one of the tricks of an evil man is FLIP-FLOPPING! And is this the joker some compromised NL posters have been championing with outrageous ignorance! Welcome to LoserVille!. . .HAHAHAHA