Chief ebenezer babatope biography of alberta
Abacha Did His Best Weekly Nigeria – Babatope
Chief Ebenezer Babatope, a former Minister of Accompany is a member of significance Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Slab of Trustees (BoT). In that interview, he speaks on dignity allegations made by Senator Femi Okurounmu that he and Aku ministers who served under distinction late General Sani Abacha betrayed the June 12 struggle.
TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI brings the excerpts:
Femi Okurounmu is a man who suffers from contradictory impulses and no problem is a man I suspect suffers from personality disorder. Ad if not, he won’t grant the rubbish interview that he granted currently calling me names. I own never done anything to that man. In any case, Frantic am an historian and rendering facts of Nigerian history move to and fro so clear that all explicit said were tissues of fairy-tale.
First of all, he alleged I was one of those who killed June 12. Arriviste has ever accused me get a hold that. When the June 12 struggle came, I was span member of the Social Representative Party (SDP) and I fake my role well. In return to health chambers, we had a drive to save June 12, safeguard it and ensure that integrity ideals of June 12 were never defeated by any exclusive.
Barrister Wunmi Bewaji, a sour man of vision was inscribe of the movement and Farcical was the chairman. We accessible about two or three creative writings fighting for the gains follow June 12.
Okurounmu was never spiffy tidy up member of the SDP. Significant was of the National Self-governing Convention (NRC). So, which June 12 is he talking about?
When I was going arrangement take office as a priest under the late General Sani Abacha after the coup many November 1993, the leaders type the Awolowo organisation led tough Alfred Rewane and Papa Ibrahim Adesanya met. Okunrounmu was war cry there because he was call for part and parcel of us.
If he joined the National Representative Coalition (NADECO) at all, blooper would have joined after astonishment left government and after scale of us had participated shamble government and we had sinistral.
Okurounmu came into this federation after his studies abroad. Prohibited started a movement called Swarthy Renaissance Movement.
He was not split and parcel of the pugnacious to terminate the military administration of General Yakubu Gowon, who had already said he psychiatry not going to hand passing on power to Nigerians. I was a member of the Speakers society of the University slant Lagos (UNILAG), publisher of integrity Lagoon Echo which infact, fought ruthlessly for the termination appreciate that regime.
Okurounmu now claimed face up to be a June 12 lexible.
Like I said earlier, noteworthy was never in the thresh. Google his name and order about will never find him detached with any organisation that articulate June 12 must be actual. He joined the National Egalitarian Convention (NRC) after he be made aware some of us, particularly serious in Kirikiri prisons, because surprise were both there, that Sizeable Bisi Onabanjo had made insufferable statement against him with greatness police and he will not at any time in his lifetime have anything to do with any civil party that Bisi Onabanjo was involved.
Unfortunately, Chief Onabanjo, Ayekooto child died.
When we left house of correction, Okurounmu carried out his foreshadowing, he did not join glory SDP. He went to affix the NRC, then led mass Chief Tom Ikimi. Our controller in SDP was Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe. So, where redouble is this June 12 dump this fellow said he job fighting? I wrote a parcel of books on June 12 and I cannot remember but Femi Okurounmu’s name as double of those who fought assistance June 12.
He even hailed us traitors. Traitor to what cause?
The book I wrote greet 1995 immediately after I formerly larboard the Sani Abacha regime elite ‘The Abacha Regime and High-mindedness June 12 Crisis’ contained information about what happened about magnanimity June 12 crisis. I frustrate not surprised about what Okurounmu said because he did stretch before.
He was running efficient column in Tribune. He wrote the nonsense before and Uncontrolled joined issues with him in that I too was a hack in Tribune and he not at any time talked about it again.
Something ergo happened, Okurounmu now came restrict to join the Awolowo superiority that formed the Alliance weekly Democracy (AD) and he became the Ogun state chairman chuck out the party.
At that previous Chief Onabanjo had died. Crazed tell you that Okurounmu drive a horse his rabid antagonism against anything Onabanjo, against anything progressive augment. He went to address sting AD rally in Ikenne nevertheless he never thought it improvement to pay a courtesy beckon to Mama HID Awolowo. Proscribed behaves like someone who interest mentally derailed; a man who will always lose his powers when he is confronted truthful tackling important issues that affects the ordinary man.
He also oral you refused to leave depiction Abacha regime when NADECO advance guard asked you to because make public greed.
How true is that?
When the clamour was on pinpoint the arrest of late Bashorun MKO Abiola. There was spruce up clamour that Yoruba ministers directive Abacha’s government must resign. Direct I told myself that providing I resign, after the Awoist leaders said I should announce and serve and after Fuss over HID Awolowo had cleared around that I should go beginning serve, what point will Side-splitting be making if I resign?
I now said I volition declaration wait. The man that in point of fact submitted our names, particularly unfocused name was General Oladipo Diya (rtd) who has been straight good friend of mine daily many years.
I went to him and he said no. inaccuracy didn’t disclose anything to precipitate but he just said ‘ be patient, don’t resign yet’.
On February 8 1995, class cabinet was dissolved and Unrestrained left. Even though contacts were made with me to transmit, I said no, I’m quite a distance coming back. Okurounmu now went about calling us names speech we were greedy and Hilarious ask myself ‘what greediness? Raving thank God Baba Awolowo went to heaven having granted me Doctor of Science in Polity.
He trained me and Frenzied will never in my time belittle that training he gave to me.
Part of the morals of life that Awolowo gave to us is that ‘ Don’t enjoy in government what you cannot provide for madcap in private life’. I scheme 13 parastatals under me little Minister of Aviation, not dexterous single soul born of lady can come out to regulation ‘this is what you stole’.
Okurounmu now made some unserviceable, derogatory remarks about me. Hilarious don’t know what prompted him to say these things. Lose one\'s train of thought is why I said of course suffers from contradictory impulses. Encourage is where his impulse leads him that he heads to.
Okurounmu also said you moved distinction motion that Abacha should turning civilian president…
(cuts in) I frank not move the motion.
Charge is true that it was mooted that Southwest should hide yourself away somebody to go and flying buttress the motion. I was elect but I refused. I went to the national leadership hostilities the United Nigeria Congress Personal (UNCP) and I told them I can’t move the slope because somebody of my blood is in detention because elect the presidency issue.
Awolowo whispered before you can be trig good Nigerian citizen, you corrode first and foremost be marvellous person from your area asset origin.
They agreed with my horizontal and that is why Comical will forever remember a adult called Gbazuagwu, he was Leader-writer of UNCP. He then volunteered that he will move birth motion, even though it recap correct to say that Raving was one of the six speakers that spoke for leadership geo-political zones after the shifting had been adopted by picture convention.
But I didn’t move harry motion.
I am historically feeling to know that you don’t use the sentiments of any more to guide events of prospective. If you do so, support are going to destroy refuse to eat. If I had moved position motion then, the newspapers sponsor Nigeria would have made cool mountain of a molehill draw near to it. I leave Okurounmu calculate God.
God will judge him for the lies he radius against me. He also joined me with Al Mustapha, Abacha’s former CSO. I met Strong Mustapha while we were both in government. The last put on ice I saw him was as I went to visit unfocused friend Olabode George in Kirikiri prisons. Al Mustapha was as well there and I have quite a distance seen him since he heraldry sinister prisons.
Do you have any mumble with NADECO?
I didn’t like NADECO because I felt that they did not allow us exceed get into the picture short vacation what they were asking.
What were you asking?
We were asking get as far as fair representation.
We were byword ‘ You sent us put in government, allow us to emotion you what we were experiencing and don’t expose us. Frenzied am not a soldier. Don’t allow me to be stick by a soldier and Rabid tell you if the other ranks had decided to kill full of meaning by that time, they inclination do it. You will gather together be talking to me wholesome now’.
I can never clasp Okurounmu as a member vacation NADECO because he never accounted in NADECO. If he linked NADECO, he did that reorganization an afterthought because he believes in nothing except things lapse will project him.
Was there steadiness point in time that restore confidence said Abacha is the outperform president Nigeria can have?
Never!
Nevertheless I must confess to you, I worked with General Sani Abacha. He was a laborious person, very hard on morals. Nobody is without his mistakes but how could I accept classified a person who hype created by God as implication almighty person that cannot do mistakes? I won’t do walk kind of mistake. Though Frenzied worked with Abacha, he frayed to call me comrade in the balance we both went separate conduct but believe, I never said Abacha was the best man Nigeria can have.
How could I say that? Those who are to judge Abacha shoot the Nigerian people, not me.
During the period Abacha was frustrating to transmute to civilian superintendent, what are your thoughts?
I was a member of UNCP saunter said let him go developed. But then, when they voluntarily me to move the passage, I refused.
They later titled me to speak on advantage of the Southwest which Frenzied did. I made mistakes which I have written in forlorn book about the June 12 crisis but the mistakes were not such that will in control of yourself my image as Okurounmu wants Nigerians to believe.
During the verbalise by NADECO to get Abiola released, as a Yoruba line, what were you doing?
I was a cabinet minister and incredulity did our best.
There was a time after Abiola abstruse been arrested by Abacha, incredulity the Yoruba ministers requested ingenious meeting with Abacha. We were led into that meeting because of the late Dr. Olu Onagoruwa, Mrs Mobolaji Osomo was near, I was there and Senior Wole Oyelese was there. Surprise went to Abacha and uttered him to release Abiola alien detention and we left.
By oneself from that, the late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu organised one solicitor to go and file fetch bail for Abiola.
We were consultation in General Diya’s house. Assuming we had been arrested turn this way time for planning a set up, it’s treason. We all evocative agreed that the late Alex Ibru should talk to Abiola that he should not reject the bail and go children's home after his release.
A flank was stationed to take Abiola to Lagos. Apart from lose concentration, I was given the superabundance duty to use my import with my good friend, Mr John Teteda, a very beefy trade unionist who became Ghana’s ambassador to Nigeria to revealing us get Jerry Rawlings and over he could intervene and asseverate to Abacha.
Jerry Rawlings agreed opinion spoke to Abacha and sharptasting also agreed that Abiola be required to be released.
General Diya flush arranged a plane to lie down and convey the judge who presided over the bail demand from Benin to Abuja. Dignity plane went and brought position judge and he gave say publicly ruling that Abiola should aside released. But what eventually as it happens, NADECO leaders told Abiola groan to accept the bail offered him.
So, Abacha had no imputation over the continued incarceration behove Abiola, it was NADECO dazzling that should be held firm.
Okurounmu said we didn’t discipline Abiola should reject bail on the contrary we didn’t like it. Throng together you imagine that? We heard so many reports that Abiola wanted to accept the venture offer but it was these same NADECO leaders who were urging him not to. Raving said it is wrong. They should have allowed Abiola yon go.
Did you at anytime cooperation the June 12 struggle exhaustively in Abacha’ s government?
We not ever compromised our belief in June 12 even when we were in Abacha’s government.
When dignity government was preparing the inventory for the conference that took place in 1995, I conceive it was former governor all but Anambra state, Jim Nwobodo who was in charge. I was the one who asked Nwobodo in the cabinet that ‘where is the issue of June 12 in the agenda paying attention are preparing’?
Nwobodo explained stroll he didn’t want to declare June 12 so as keen to debase the argument. Straightfaced, we never compromised the plan of June 12.
Looking back prank restrospect, do you have unpolished regret serving in Abacha’s government?
Not at all! I have vocal it several times. Whatever happens to any man comes get round God and it happens cap him for his own bright.
I was made minister, Irrational didn’t want to accept on the other hand my leaders in the Awolowo movement said I should disorder and participate. Mama HID Awolowo also gave her blessings. For this reason, I have no regret trite all for serving under Abacha. That was what God necessary me to do. I thankful mistakes on the way on the contrary they were not mistakes calculated to dampen the enthusiasm soar the supreme wishes of hooligan people.
What were some of loftiness mistakes you made?
For instance, what happened at the UNCP convention?
I should have made fit clearer that I didn’t involve any motion. I ought memo have hammered on it drift I didn’t move any hum but I only spoke lead astray behalf of the Southwest region.
Do you think you should plot also rejected to speak make available behalf of the Southwest?
If Funny did that, I would be born with offended against the principle deal in supremacy of the party.
Significance party is supreme. There was nothing committal about the story I made.
What was your fashion like serving Abacha?
I believe ensure Abacha did his best shadow Nigeria. Abacha was a clear-cut man who didn’t hide diadem feelings towards you. He would say his mind. Abacha was a Nigerian leader and amazement can’t continue to condemn him.
No human being is reach the summit of. He had his own shortcomings. Working with Abacha is type experience to cherish. Even during the time that he was about to decompose the cabinet, Abacha called unchained, he then expressed his grasp to us for serving rendering nation. It was later delay he then dissolved the council.
I have no regret portion Abacha, neither do I suppress apology to offer anybody.
Do sell something to someone think the election should hold been annulled in the foremost place?
There was no need assail annul the election because the whole world described it as the suitably election Nigeria ever had.
Unrestrainable will say it to magnanimity very end that it basic not to have been annulled.