Nigeria’s former military ruler, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has released a new autobiography, A Journey In Service, offering new insights into his time as the country’s leader from 1985 to 1993. The book has reignited discussions on some of the most controversial moments in Nigeria’s history, including the annulment of the 1993 presidential election and the execution of his childhood friend, General Mamman Vatsa.

Babangida’s legacy remains a topic of deep division in Nigeria. While some credit him with significant infrastructural development and modernization, others argue that his administration was plagued by widespread corruption and political maneuvering that set Nigeria back economically and politically.

Here are four major revelations from Babangida’s memoir that have stirred debate across the nation:

1. Regret Over the Annulment of the 1993 Elections

The most significant revelation from A Journey In Service is Babangida’s expression of regret over the annulment of the 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as one of the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. The election, held on June 12, was expected to transition Nigeria from military to civilian rule. However, as results were being collated, Babangida’s regime abruptly nullified the process, plunging the country into political chaos.

The presumed winner, Moshood Abiola, was later imprisoned after declaring himself president, and his wife was assassinated in the aftermath. Babangida acknowledges in his book that Abiola had indeed won the election, a rare admission that many Nigerians have long demanded.

“That accident of history is most regrettable. The nation is entitled to expect my expression of regret,” Babangida writes.

At the time, Babangida justified the annulment by citing allegations of vote-buying and concerns over the judiciary’s integrity. However, his explanation failed to pacify public outrage, leading to widespread protests and civil unrest that eventually forced him to step down later that year.

At the book launch, President Bola Tinubu, himself a key figure in the pro-democracy movement that opposed the annulment, praised Babangida’s admission, calling it an act of courage.

Jamiu Abiola, son of the late Moshood Abiola, welcomed the acknowledgment, describing it as a surprising but meaningful moment for his family. “Perhaps General Babangida was looking for peace,” he told the BBC’s Focus on Africa podcast.

The annulment’s consequences continued for years, culminating in another military coup in late 1993 that brought General Sani Abacha to power. Nigeria only returned to civilian rule in 1999, six years after Babangida’s departure.

2. Execution of Mamman Vatsa: A Tragic Decision

Babangida’s execution of his childhood friend and fellow military officer, General Mamman Vatsa, remains one of the most painful and controversial decisions of his rule. The book sheds new light on this event, offering a glimpse into the personal struggle Babangida faced in making the decision.

Vatsa was convicted of plotting a coup against Babangida’s government and, along with nine others, was executed in March 1986. The two had grown up together in Minna, attended the same schools, and risen through the ranks of the military side by side.

“We were very close friends,” Babangida writes. “We had grown up together in Minna and had been classmates in Bida. We did several things together as peers. My wife recalled that we used to share a room as bachelors. We would reach out for whatever shirt was available, irrespective of whose it was, and just wear it and head out! We were that close.”

However, Babangida also claims that Vatsa had been envious of his success since their youth.

“With the benefit of hindsight now, I recall that a constant part of our relationship as teenagers and young men was a continuous and recurrent peer jealousy on his part towards me. He was always envious of my achievements, especially when he thought I was progressing better than him, either in school or our military career path.”

Babangida insists that his decision to approve the execution was based on national security concerns, arguing that the alleged coup would have plunged Nigeria into uncertainty.

“I had to choose between saving a friend’s life and the nation’s future,” he writes.

3. Revisiting Nigeria’s First Coup in 1966

Another major aspect of Babangida’s book is his reassessment of Nigeria’s first military coup in 1966, which resulted in the assassination of Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and several high-ranking regional leaders. The coup has long been labeled an “Igbo coup” due to the ethnicity of its primary plotters, but Babangida disputes this characterization.

He highlights the role of Major John Obienu, an Igbo officer who helped quell the coup, and argues that many senior Igbo officers were also targeted and killed during the mutiny.

“It was a terrible time for the Nigerian military,” Babangida writes. “As I have said elsewhere, as a young officer who saw all of this from a distance, probably, ethnic sentiments did not drive the original objective of the coup plotters.”

Babangida also confirms a long-rumored detail: that the coup plotters originally planned to free imprisoned politician Obafemi Awolowo and install him as president.

“The head of the plotters, Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, was only ‘Igbo’ in name. Born and raised in Kaduna, he spoke fluent Hausa and was as ‘Hausa’ as any! He and his original team probably thought, even if naively, that they could turn things around for the better in the country.”

The coup led to severe ethnic tensions, culminating in attacks against Igbo communities and eventually the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), in which over a million people lost their lives.

4. Love and Loss: Remembering Maryam Babangida

The book also provides a deeply personal glimpse into Babangida’s marriage to Maryam Babangida, one of Nigeria’s most celebrated First Ladies. Known for her elegance and advocacy work, Maryam captured national attention during Babangida’s presidency and left a lasting impact on Nigerian women’s rights movements.

“She was stunning. Her ebony beauty set off enchanting eyes, and her dazzling smile showed off a lovely set of teeth; when she smiled—and she often smiled—her face lit up, and her eyes danced,” Babangida recalls.

He describes their marriage as deeply compatible and full of mutual respect.

“We both saw our marriage as our freedom and agreed to sort things out ourselves if we quarrelled. We were very compatible; indeed, I can only recall two occasions on which we quarrelled, and neither of us was afraid to apologise to the other.”

Maryam Babangida passed away in 2009, and Babangida has remained unmarried since. Reflecting on life without her, he writes:

“I never imagined that Maryam would pass away before I did, but the gift of life is in Allah’s hands, not in humanity’s. Coping without her has not been easy, but it has been made much less demanding by the memories of our life together and the length of her shadow.”

Conclusion: A Reflection on Power, Politics, and Personal Loss

Babangida’s A Journey In Service provides a rare and candid look into one of Nigeria’s most consequential leaders. His admissions of regret, personal reflections, and historical accounts offer a nuanced perspective on events that shaped modern Nigeria.

As Nigerians debate his legacy, one thing remains clear: Babangida’s tenure continues to cast a long shadow over the country’s history, with its successes and failures still influencing political discourse today.