How Colonels Yohanna Madaki And Dangiwa Umar Rattled IBB
OpenLife Nigeria reports that on August 8, 1984, 44 years old Nigeria’s military President, Major General Ibrahim Babangida was quoted in a publication by New York Times as saying that “Even though his country needed financial help, he would not accept a $2.4 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund if the Nigerian people opposed it.”
This assertion was a follow up on a 15-month economic emergency Babangida had announced the previous week in which he predicted that Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, would be self-sufficient in food within 12 months, a condition that had not prevailed since the oil boom of the mid-1970’s.
It would be recalled that twenty eight days after Babangida’s August 27, 1985 coup, he established a Presidential Committee on IMF loan.
The committee was charged with the responsibility of conducting a national debate on the desirability or otherwise of Nigeria obtaining the loan.
On December 13, 1985, Babangida in a national broadcast titled “IMF Loan Rejected” said:
After due consideration of all the opinions expressed by Nigerians and other residents as embodied in the interim report on the IMF loan, government has come to the conclusion that for now the path of honour and the essence of democratic patriotism lies in discontinuing the negotiations with the IMF for a loan support.
“This clearly is the will of majority of our people on the issue,” IBB reportedly said.
However, among the key actors in the IMF loan debates were Colonels Yohana Madaki {late} and Abubarka Dangiwa Umar.
This has been revealed in a recent piece by Osa Director, Principal Partner at Osa Director law chamber and Lead consultant, Belle Image Communication Limited (PR/Media relations firm) earlier published in Gavel International.
In the piece, the former senior assistant editor, TELL Magazine and former Editor in Chief/ CEO, Insider weekly Magazine, explained in details, the role played by the two Army Colonels in putting General Babangida in check during the debate.
While Colonel Yohanna Madaki, former military Governor of Benue State and old Gongola State, now Adamawa and Taraba States during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida died on May 20, 2006 at age 64, Colonel Abubarka Dangiwa Umar, former military governor of Kaduna State is still alive.
Earlier titled “Remembering Colonel Yohanna Madaki: The Iconoclast,” part of the piece, which celebrates the 18th remembrance of Madaki is reproduced below, unedited
“…..Madaki stayed loyal to the course of democracy and justice till the end. Also, he was loyal to the truth, and anyone who treaded its path.
“His simplicity and commitment to support anyone on the path of truth irrespective of tribe or religion were evidenced by a remarkable occurrence in the hallowed council chambers of IBBs ruling military council.
“I learned that after Nigerians rejected IBBs attempt to take an International Monetary Fund, IMF loan, he put together a policy paper, the Structured Adjustment Programme, SAP, which in anyways was IMFs road map to sap Nigerias economy.
“As self-styled military president, he invited the 36 military governors and service chiefs to the hallowed chambers. He reportedly dropped the policy document on the desk of everyone. It was over 200 pages.
“When General IBB entered the chamber, he told all the governors and service chiefs that he would excuse them for one hour to go through the over 200-page policy document and make inputs.
“Expectedly, everyone nodded, yes sir! Not for Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, who was then a Major.
“Umar had become somewhat of an insider critic to the administration of his boss, IBB, all to the chagrin of the hawks within the regime who wanted him silenced and dispensed with. As he was wont to, Umar pressed the buzzer.
“The Commander-in-Chief ordered him to speak. Umar critically noted that it would be unfair to ask them to leaf through a policy document of over 200 pages in one hour and make meaningful contributions.
“He went further to say that if General IBB had decided on a course of action to take in respect of the policy document, he should go ahead and do so, but he should not use the military governors and service chiefs as rubber stamps.
“However, if truly he, IBB, wanted the genuine and indepth inputs of the governors, he should allow them take the documents to their respective states, digest and analyse it, make executive summary which they should present in their next adjourned date.
“There was pin drop silence in the council chambers. As most of the governors were edgy on the next move, another buzzer sounded. It was from the direction of Madaki. General IBB on noticing that said, Madaki, I know you want to support your socialist friend, Umar.
“Exactly, what he did. Babangida caved in and asked the governors to take the large volume policy document to their respective states and come with their observations and inputs on their next adjourned date.
“That was typical Madaki. Bold, fearless and committed to side with the truth and those who espouse it irrespective of their tribe or religion.
“He was never driven or influenced by the primordial sentiments of religion, ethnicity or social status.
“Madaki lived and died for a better Nigeria. But it is doubtful if Nigeria appreciates his worth and essence as a torch bearer of truth, social justice and fairness to all. He died 18 years ago, precisely 20 May, 2006,” Osa Director wrote.
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