IBB and Reuben Abati's posture of incurable hater

By Nasir Dambatta

Going through Reuben Abati's rather lengthy essay on the trending interview the former Nigerian President Ibrahim Babangida granted Arise TV, I was taken aback by the writer's seeming disdain, even prejudice against the General. It was surprising that Reuben pretended not to have seen anything tangible in the former President's call for Sixty-and-below age brackets as candidates for the 2023 Presidency. And this is one proposal that impressed many Nigerians who objectively dissected the interview.

Many of us who used to to think Reuben's articles resonate with the millions of Nigerians have now been compelled to rethink our assumptions. Of late, Reuben's pen, dripping with venom for elder statesmen outside the Southwest appears to be his new intellectual low. Or how else does one describe someone doing a critique on a former leader turning a blind eye to the unbeatable number of infrastructural, educational, health, security and unity programmes and policies of that leader. The writer, who has made himself the self-appointed juror and jurist on the 'sin' of the Federal Government under the then President Babangida simply went Gaga - hanging all the blames for the nation's current difficulties on IBB's shoulder. Is Reuben so presumptive as to think that the only thing bothering Nigerians is the annulment of June 12, despite the eight years of former President Obasanjo from the same Southwest that the late MKO Abiola hails from? This revisionism by Abati is a sad reminder that there are some Nigerian intellectuals who delight in taking us back to an issue that has already resolved itself. IBB's position on June 12 annulment, particularly the reason of security that he has consistently referred to, is actually a privileged information. For an Abati who was not a party to the decision for the annulment and for IBB who had unfettered access to privileged intelligence information, it is obvious that Abati got it all twisted. It is therefore obvious that the writer turned himself into something like a professional boxer fighting outside the ring, an armchair variant of a critic.

On the SAP riot that Abati wished to hang around the former President's neck, it was nothing unfamiliar because obviously, such riot was sponsored by elements who wanted to pull down the IBB government.

It is worrisome that Abati has conveniently forgotten that the administration that IBB led has broken the best records in promoting national interest, all-round development that touched lives and launched this country into the modern system of governance. In terms of domestic policies and international relations, Abati knows too well that this nation is yet to see IBB's equivalent, decades after his exit from power.

It is evident that Abati has succeeded in demonstrating his naivety by pandering to regional sentiments and exhuming the ghost of old arguments that politicians who have had an axe to grind with IBB were fond of doing.
Laced with subtle envy, Abati's reactionary article has given further vent to the belief that he has all along been compromised in his views in virtually all of the national discourses he jumped into. His article is no less different from what many analysts described as "tribal jingoism" that was once dressed as "June 12 agitation" decades ago. This columnist has obviously jumped into a roller-coaster ride without even asking for the destination. From what I can see in the IBB's trending interview and Abati's self-righteous intervention, it is all an account of a former leader who understands the nexus between the past and the present, in the eyes of a regional champion masquerading as critic.

Majority of Nigerians reasoned with IBB on the philosophy of generational power shift and how much damage its abandonment has done to our nation's socio-political and economic development. Even Abati knows that the Southwest has benefitted immensely from development projects under the IBB regime than even IBB's immediate constituency of the North. The leader who didn't use force to convert the radical late Tai Solarin into a "liberal" socialist and the literary hero of the Southwest - Wole Soyinka - into the helmsman of Federal Road Safety Commission, can't be Abati's punching bag today. This is unfortunate because Reuben is a comparatively new-breed apologist of the June 12, when placed against the likes of Professor Wole Soyinka and others, who eventually accepted ministerial appointments in IBB's regime in what was evidently a 'taming of the shrew'.

Abati's latest posturing on Nigeria's current challenges suggests a failure to establish the nexus between the past and the present and therefore creates the impression of an incurable hater of IBB or his immediate constituency of the North. Every social media follower of Abati would readily admit, that the man has always taken a position that tends to potray him as a regional champion. Fresh in our memory was his stand on the recent Abba Kyari saga, where he expectedly called for the head of the supercop due to his open regional resentment, which has now become closely associated with his stance on almost every topical national issue. It is also heartbreaking that Abati's analysis sought to subtly promote a death-wish for IBB elsewhere in the write-up. This is either a deliberate act of undue provocation of people or loyalists in IBB's immediate constituency of the North or the personal prejudice fuelled by misplaced regional sentiment. The long and short of my drift is that Abati's approach towards discussing sensitive national issues definitely needs retooling.

*Dambatta is based in Kaduna*

Reuben Abati is a man full of base sentiments! Unless you started reading about him recently, otherwise his history since his days at The Guardian is there. ..Very vile when writing about other groups. But full of respect when writing about his people. He mellowed down a bit after Jonathan invited him to "Come and Chop", but lately, he has started to go back to his old ways.. Leopards never change their spots..

Whoever is paying you needs to get a refund

Who cares about Reuben Abati?
Trying to introduce tribal sentiment

IBB was a disaster and a murderer

who should be in prison

He is also a coward

Before Jonathan called him to "come and chop" was he not totally critical of Obasanjo

Who do you think you are kidding

How is calling for Kyari's investigation a problem?

A US court has ordered his arrest for very serious allegations and you are trying to ethnicize it? Is your head OK?

Feminews:
IBB and Reuben Abati's posture of incurable hater

By Nasir Dambatta

Going through Reuben Abati's rather lengthy essay on the trending interview the former Nigerian President Ibrahim Babangida granted Arise TV, I was taken aback by the writer's seeming disdain, even prejudice against the General. It was surprising that Reuben pretended not to have seen anything tangible in the former President's call for Sixty-and-below age brackets as candidates for the 2023 Presidency. And this is one proposal that impressed many Nigerians who objectively dissected the interview.

Many of us who used to to think Reuben's articles resonate with the millions of Nigerians have now been compelled to rethink our assumptions. Of late, Reuben's pen, dripping with venom for elder statesmen outside the Southwest appears to be his new intellectual low. Or how else does one describe someone doing a critique on a former leader turning a blind eye to the unbeatable number of infrastructural, educational, health, security and unity programmes and policies of that leader. The writer, who has made himself the self-appointed juror and jurist on the 'sin' of the Federal Government under the then President Babangida simply went Gaga - hanging all the blames for the nation's current difficulties on IBB's shoulder. Is Reuben so presumptive as to think that the only thing bothering Nigerians is the annulment of June 12, despite the eight years of former President Obasanjo from the same Southwest that the late MKO Abiola hails from? This revisionism by Abati is a sad reminder that there are some Nigerian intellectuals who delight in taking us back to an issue that has already resolved itself. IBB's position on June 12 annulment, particularly the reason of security that he has consistently referred to, is actually a privileged information. For an Abati who was not a party to the decision for the annulment and for IBB who had unfettered access to privileged intelligence information, it is obvious that Abati got it all twisted. It is therefore obvious that the writer turned himself into something like a professional boxer fighting outside the ring, an armchair variant of a critic.

On the SAP riot that Abati wished to hang around the former President's neck, it was nothing unfamiliar because obviously, such riot was sponsored by elements who wanted to pull down the IBB government.

It is worrisome that Abati has conveniently forgotten that the administration that IBB led has broken the best records in promoting national interest, all-round development that touched lives and launched this country into the modern system of governance. In terms of domestic policies and international relations, Abati knows too well that this nation is yet to see IBB's equivalent, decades after his exit from power.

It is evident that Abati has succeeded in demonstrating his naivety by pandering to regional sentiments and exhuming the ghost of old arguments that politicians who have had an axe to grind with IBB were fond of doing.
Laced with subtle envy, Abati's reactionary article has given further vent to the belief that he has all along been compromised in his views in virtually all of the national discourses he jumped into. His article is no less different from what many analysts described as "tribal jingoism" that was once dressed as "June 12 agitation" decades ago. This columnist has obviously jumped into a roller-coaster ride without even asking for the destination. From what I can see in the IBB's trending interview and Abati's self-righteous intervention, it is all an account of a former leader who understands the nexus between the past and the present, in the eyes of a regional champion masquerading as critic.

Majority of Nigerians reasoned with IBB on the philosophy of generational power shift and how much damage its abandonment has done to our nation's socio-political and economic development. Even Abati knows that the Southwest has benefitted immensely from development projects under the IBB regime than even IBB's immediate constituency of the North. The leader who didn't use force to convert the radical late Tai Solarin into a "liberal" socialist and the literary hero of the Southwest - Wole Soyinka - into the helmsman of Federal Road Safety Commission, can't be Abati's punching bag today. This is unfortunate because Reuben is a comparatively new-breed apologist of the June 12, when placed against the likes of Professor Wole Soyinka and others, who eventually accepted ministerial appointments in IBB's regime in what was evidently a 'taming of the shrew'.

Abati's latest posturing on Nigeria's current challenges suggests a failure to establish the nexus between the past and the present and therefore creates the impression of an incurable hater of IBB or his immediate constituency of the North. Every social media follower of Abati would readily admit, that the man has always taken a position that tends to potray him as a regional champion. Fresh in our memory was his stand on the recent Abba Kyari saga, where he expectedly called for the head of the supercop due to his open regional resentment, which has now become closely associated with his stance on almost every topical national issue. It is also heartbreaking that Abati's analysis sought to subtly promote a death-wish for IBB elsewhere in the write-up. This is either a deliberate act of undue provocation of people or loyalists in IBB's immediate constituency of the North or the personal prejudice fuelled by misplaced regional sentiment. The long and short of my drift is that Abati's approach towards discussing sensitive national issues definitely needs retooling.

*Dambatta is based in Kaduna*

Nonsense write up probably an aftermath of a spoilt kunu drink.

The idiot even said June 12 has resolved itself .

May God break Nigeria up into pieces

Summary pls

I didn't read Reuben's article but "who doesn't know that Babangida messed Nigeria up with his style of govt". I started understanding what political deceit, manoeuvre and institutional corruption is, under his govt. The self acclaimed "evil genius", did he regret anything while in power?

I totally agree with Reuben Abatti article on Babaginda,the General is a spineless,lily-livered coward.
His excuse for annulling the election of 1993 was absolute bunkum,he will settle it with Abiola when he gets to wherever people go to after death.
His annulment of that election produced one of the greatest malfeasance in the history of Nigeria,Abacha was one of the terrible leaders that ended up ruling this country.
i have always wondered why someone like the deranged,illetrate,and demented Abacha could rule Nigeria yet someone like Abiola was not good enough for Babaginda and his ilk of power Hungry parasitic leeches.
Babaginda name will never be written in Gold in Nigeria,I always say Nigerians have no long term memory that's why people who should shut up and never utter their gibberish opinion on leadership in Nigeria have the temerity to do so every now and then.
Rubbish packaged people called elder statesmen

aribisala0:
Whoever is paying you needs to get a refund

Who cares about Reuben Abati?
Trying to introduce tribal sentiment

IBB was a disaster and a murderer

who should be in prison

He is also a coward

Before Jonathan called him to "come and chop" was he not totally critical of Obasanjo

Who do you think you are kidding

How is calling for Kyari's investigation a problem?

A US court has ordered his arrest for very serious allegations and you are trying to ethnicize it? Is your head OK?

What jurisdiction does a US court have over a Nigerian? They should go to Kabul to go & apprehend him, Mumu slaves to Oyibo man.

LamidiCownu:

Nonsense write up probably an aftermath of a spoilt kunu drink.

The idiot even said June 12 has resolved itself .

May God break Nigeria up into pieces

May God not allow you see any prosperity in Nigeria.

Buckeyemedia1:
What jurisdiction does a US court have over a Nigerian? They should go to Kabul to go & apprehend him, Mumu slaves to Oyibo man.

You can make your point in a civil way that is if indeed you are civilized.
My question was about ethnicity . Does the US court operate on the basis that he is Hausa or Fulani? Does the US court even know about his ethnicity
Must you display your stark illiteracy in public? We are talking about ethnicity and you are talking jurisdiction and calling people slaves
What is the connection? Can you read?

They have applied for his extradition and that is following due process , that is the extent of their jurisdiction. They also have other options available to them via international law and due process.

So my point was not about jurisdiction but rather let the Nigerian government complete its work which it has started at the end they will say yes or no to the request .
Why bring ethnicity into it?


What has Kabul got to do with this ?
Endeavour to talk as though you went to some kind of school

Buckeyemedia1:
May God not allow you see any prosperity in Nigeria.

May Fulani terrorists and Boko Haram that you so much rever destroy you and your household insha Allah...Amin

aribisala0:
You can make your point in a civil way that is if indeed you are civilized.
My question was about ethnicity . Does the US court operate on the basis that he is Hausa or Fulani? Does the US court even know about his ethnicity
Must you display your stark illiteracy in public? We are talking about ethnicity and you are talking jurisdiction and calling people slaves
What is the connection? Can you read?

They have applied for his extradition and that is following due process , that is the extent of their jurisdiction. They also have other options available to them via international law and due process.

So my point was not about jurisdiction but rather let the Nigerian government complete its work which it has started at the end they will say yes or no to the request .
Why bring ethnicity into it?


What has Kabul got to do with this ?
Endeavour to talk as though you went to some kind of school

Yes or no to which request? D.O.A. (Dead On Arrival). Let your hypocrisy not consume you? You must be filled with Guilty Conscience, what concerns the extradition of a Citizen of Nigeria & ethnicity? If it isn’t what that vacuum in your head is filled with?

Ethnic Bigot, the only reason you support any act against Kyari is based on the fact that he is a Northerner, nothing more, should Allen Onyeama be extradited?, we have Courts in Nigeria that have competent jurisdiction to put on trial anyone who actions undermines the laws of The Federal Republic of Nigeria.

LamidiCownu:

May Fulani terrorists and Boko Haram that you so much rever destroy you and your household insha Allah...Amin

Are you not Nigerian like your Terrorist Brothers? Keep deceiving yourselves, Illuminatic Demons.

Buckeyemedia1:
Are you not Nigerian like your Terrorist Brothers? Keep deceiving yourselves, Illuminatic Demons.

Terrorist !!!

Hmmmmm...e b things