By Tosin Olatokunbo
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has revealed reason the late sage and former premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo refused to support the transition to civil rule programme set up by the General Ibrahim Babangida regime.
The former governor of Abia state and Senate Chief Whip said in his recent book, ‘My Life’ that the late Yoruba leader did not trust the Evil Genius’, as Babangida is widely known, resolve to abdicate power.
Awolowo died in 1987 and some alluded his death to the crisis of confidence between him and the former head of state at the time.
The autobiography was released few days after the death of Awolowo’s eldest daughter, Mrs Tola Oyediran, last week.
Kalu said he decided to visit the late politician in his home in Ibadan after Awolowo rejected the plea of the Babangida regime to be part of the transition programme, to find out why he took that decision.
Awolowo “told me he did not trust the military and that nothing in his crystal ball suggested that the military was sincere about bringing the country back to civil governance. I learnt from him that there existed two types of the military which he described as professional and mercenary military,” the former governor said.
Part of the book reads: “He told me the military government was of the latter type (and) assured me that he had not seen anything in the IBB regime to assure him of their messianic mission.”
After General Babangida took power in August 1985 from General Muhammadu Buhari, he released all political detainees, mostly followers of Chief Awolowo from the now defunct Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, an action many said, the military leader took to pacify the politician and other south west leaders.
Babangida later promised to relinquish power to civilians in 1990 and handover to a civilian administration. He failed on that promise and was later forced to abdicate power by General Sanni Abacha in 1993.
