I had earlier watched The IBB Interview on Arise TV and I just watched that of Channels TV.
Looking at the two episodes, I think they ought to have been good opportunities for the ‘Maradona’ to clear the air on some knotty issues about his regime, but he failed.
At 80, rather than giving credence to some of his actions, he should have owned up to his faults and not go to the grave a guilty man.
He has again dribbled himself out of pity.
I also expected the interviewers to ask him probing questions that Nigerians would love to hear him speak about, but he was allowed to go and ‘sin no more’.
I guess he wasn’t drilled so much because the chats were meant to celebrate his entry into the club of octogenarians.
Rather than being put on the spot, considering the so many allegations of atrocities against him, IBB was made so comfortable on the hot seat, to the extent he claimed that “your so-called leaders” agreed with him on the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election.
I would have loved to hear him asked; who are the so-called leaders that traded off June 12? Even if not asked, IBB should have seized the opportunity to name those he referred to as “so-called leaders”.
It would have been a good opportunity for him to hang the rope on the neck of the political class, especially the Yoruba traitors that betrayed MKO Abiola.
If I’m the one holding the microphone and I’m not intimidated by the retinue of security aides, perhaps, I would have asked the gap-toothed General certain questions that could have made him so uncomfortable.
Bongos Ikwue has already put to rest, the rumours over his alleged affairs with the late Maryam Babangida, so I won’t go there.
But I will ask IBB this; Were you actually ready to move the nation’s capital from Lagos to Abuja as of the time you left or was it Gideon Orkar coup that forced you to hurriedly move out of Lagos?
I know he will still speak his long turenchi but won’t easily rigmarole out of it.
And is anything wrong in directly asking him why he killed Dele Giwa as alleged by the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi?
I would have observed an escape route, look at the security men, summon courage, clear my throat, count three steps backward, look IBB straight in the eyes and ask him; sir, they said you killed Dele Giwa, why did you kill him?
If they come for me, I will escape through the door I earlier observed. And if there’s no escape route, I will just sit and start singing Jim Reeves’ lyrics; “this world is not my home, I’m just passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue…”
Happy 80th birthday Sir.
