₦airaland Forum

Like every other dictator, Abacha also had his own moments of paranoia. At a time, he became a virtual recluse, refusing to grant any interviews, appear in public or allow any publications about him and became nocturnal, working only at nights. On the 17th of November, 1993, at around 10.am, three generals: Abacha, Oladipo Donaldson Diya and Aliyu Gusau stormed the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Nigeria’s most fortified complex. They were followed by army trucks full of heavily-armed soldiers. The soldiers were under the control of Brigadier Bashir Magashi of the Brigade of Guards and Colonel Lawan Gwadabe of the National Guard. The three ‘guys’ then calmed but smartly strolled into the fortress with the swagger of an Alexander the Great and settled down for a ‘private meeting’ with Chief Ernest Shonekan who jejely agreed to vacate the position since it was very clear he was in no position to command any troops. Here was his own chief of defence staff telling him to surrender and a court just declared the interim government illegal.
Shonekan bowed to their pressure and they treated him like a gentleman: he was allowed to give a farewell speech. After that, he was on the next flight to Lagos. Shonekan’s reign remains the shortest in Nigerian history: 82 days. Watch the video of Abacha giving his first broadcast as head of state here, the night he overthrew Shonekan in a palace coup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=q
-Once he took the reins of power on the 17th of November 1993, Abacha announced to the dazed nation that Shonekan had resigned and that he has graciously accepted his resignation and dutifully taken over so as to prevent the country from drifting further into collapse. He then let the whole nation realize he was in for serious business and his choice of words meant Nigerians were in big yawa, and not before long, the yawa kukuma gas. He had no illusions to being popular and was out to please no one. He made it abundantly clear that if you step on a scorpion’s tail, you will limp home.
Beneath the dark goggles, he played his cards close to his heart, and no one could decipher what was on his mind.
-Abacha overthrew the fidihe (interim) government of Chief Ernest Shonekan in a palace coup that was received with mixed feelings. A section of the populace feared the dangerous trend of a new coup and this included the 67 federal senators who wrote a letter to Nigerians urging them not to accept another dictatorial regime. Some others, wanted to give General Sani the benefit of the doubt, hoping that he would just stabilize the political condition and hand over to MKO. Even Abiola himself believed this and was deceived by Abacha’s promise to just set up a ‘provisional’ ruling council and that he would not stay long in office. #Daaah! #Yinmu! MKO was too trusting and he was eventually stabbed in the back.
In a book written by Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Abiola knew of and approved Abacha’s overthrow of Shonekan from the very beginning. Bashorun underestimated the man from Borno (JUST AS THE WEST IS UNDERESTIMATING GMB – time shall tell) who would later pull the rug from under his feet and remove the wool from his eyes. Abiola ‘thinks that Abacha will not last up till a year and that his end will be ignonimous.’ But it was too late by the time MKO realized Abacha’s real game of power. Damn too late! Abiola thought there was an agreement but man proposes and God is the best Disposer of affairs.
Abacha commanded so much authority and there was absolutely no doubt about who the Boss was. Abiola made another disastrous move: members of his party, the SDP tocked’s Abacha’s first cabinet: Ebenezer Babatope (Osun), Lateef Jakande (Lagos), Abubakar Rimi, Jerry Gana, Iyorchia Ayu, Solomon Lar (Plateau), Silas Daniyan (Kogi), Mrs. Bola Osomo (Ondo), Tunji Adebayo (Kwara) and others. That step nailed Abiola’s political coffin.
-Abacha then proceeded to assume the title of the Nigerian Head of State, renamed IBB’s Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and formed the 27-member Provisional Ruling Council (PRC, the word ‘provisional’ was used to give an illusion of him staying temporarily in power but his actions would hint at a more sinister agenda). He immediately annulled the 1989 Constitution, which was supposed to be activated with the elected President. He thundered that there were no ‘sacred cows’ in his government and had no sleepless nights jailing a former head of state and his deputy.
-He even did what was long considered unthinkable: he dethroned the 18th Sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki, Nigeria’s most influential monarch and the Spiritual Head of her millions of Muslims. Abacha did not stop there, he declared Dasuki’s son who was away on a course in the United States a conspirator and had ‘wanted’ posters plastered all over the Sultan’s palace and in April 1996, had him exiled. According to the deposed Emir of Gwandu, Abacha had Dasuki deposed for so many reasons, some boiling down to personal ‘beefs’ and of course, money. Today, Dasuki’s son, Sambo, ADC to former military president IBB, was the National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan that battled a festering insurgency that has claimed many lives. -When he locked up Abiola, prominent people intervened, Nelson Mandela pleaded for MKO’s release and even demanded that if he was not going to release Bashorun, that he should at least do him the personal favour of putting him under protective custody in his Lagos residence. But for where? Alagidi ni Oga Soja. That was Abacha, he no send anybody and na omo ma woju uche, ko ran Baba nla any baga…lol! Mandela would later describe the junta as an ‘illegitimate, barbaric, arrogant dictatorship.’ -He set up the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC) as the highest decision-making body, of which he was the Chairman. Then there was the Federal Executive Council (FEC) which functioned as the executive cabinet body. But it was quite clear power was concentrated in his hands. We will talk about his style of rule and leadership in a short while. Other members of the PRC included the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs of the Nigerian Armed Forces, top military officers, national security advisers and other ministers.
It was August 1997 at a summit in Abuja and it was very obvious Abacha was not feeling well. The late nights, stress, anxiety brought by constant fears of a coup or an assassination, rigours of work and cirrhosis of the liver clearly had effects on him as reflected in this picture. He was urged by the Malian President Alpha Oumar Konare to resign and take good care of himself. Abacha used lipstick to coat his cracked lips, his skin is obviously parched and he was not in the best of condition during the summit. In less than a year, he was dead.
-Upon getting to power, Abacha dismantled all existing democratic institutions, from the Constitution to the National Assembly. He went ahead to replace the state governors with military administrators and placed a ban on all political activity. Then he embarked on an unprecedented wave of clamping down on the opposition and advocates of democracy. Some of his opponents and critics of his regime just woke up one day and discovered that the four walls of their cosy bedrooms had magically transformed into that of a jail. His aides too towed his path with the Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie releasing a statement: “Any person, whether a politician or a retired military officer or a pro-democracy crusader who thinks he is in a position to install another government is advised in his own interest to tread with caution as security agencies are prepared to act decisively on such matters.” The irony of life, Abacha was a dictator but spared nothing to ensure that democratic regimes in Sierra Leone and Liberia (he saw to the Abuja Peace Accord of 1995, to which Charles Taylor was a signatory) had a strong foothold.
-Under Abacha, the refineries were working to a degree but towards the end of his regime, the refineries kaputted and Nigeria had to import refined petroleum, and the external debt stood at a headache-inducing $30 billion and foreign reserves were about a third of that. As you are reading this, Nigeria will come to an embarrassing standstill if she does not import over 33 million liters of petroleum per DAY. As head of state, Abacha’s government was realizing an average of $10 billion per annum from oil revenues.The OECD estimates that Abacha, his family and cronies embarked on criminal thievery, stealing an average of $0.5-$1 billion per year during his regime.
-Even though Abacha was shunned by many world leaders in a bid to isolate him like Robert Mugabe, Abacha found a way to make bold statements on the international arena, even while he was holed up in his Aso Rock.
-In 1994 and 1995, Abacha was battling a toxic combination of political unrest and a plethora of economic crises. It was so serious Abacha could not attend the ECOWAS summits and other crucial events in the subregion. But by 1996, things fared better and he was made the Chairman of ECOWAS. For many analysts, that was just one of his moves aimed at his grand ambition of becoming a civilian president (aare alagbada) come August 1998. He never saw July.
HIS FIRST LADY: -
His wife, Maryam (Mama Kowa), a fair-complexioned Shuwa Arab, also had her own fair share of power and authority. Mrs. Maryam was described as a humble and kind woman who was close to her staff, especially the junior ones. In his book, Inside Aso Rock, Orji Ogbonnaya Orji describes a First Lady who was ‘very particular about welfare that her kitchen was always opened to all. Younger officers scrambled to be posted to her office…..hardly did any birthday, marriage or similar ceremonies pass by without Madam’s support. She was indeed close to the Press Corps and members of staff in the Rock.’
-In addition to her pet project, the Family Support Programme (FSP), Maryam Abacha also saw to the establishment of a Ministry of Women Affairs (upgraded from the National Commission for Women), National Center for Women Development and the National Hospital, Abuja. She led a contingent of Nigerian women to the United Nations Fourth World Women Conference, Beijing, China in September 1995.
An enchantingly beautiful woman, she gave a motherly face to one of Africa’s most tyrannically despotic regimes. When her husband died, she was visibly shocked at people’s reactions. Mrs. Abacha stated she did not know her husband was that unpopular. Talk of how power insulates you from reality

-INTRODUCTION What if I tell you that General SANINEGERIA MOHAMMED ABACHA, the most popular Kanuri person in the world was regarded as the most
patient man on earth? My Mum, the Ogidi herself never forgets her airport encounter with him, she was thoroughly stupefied at his height. It was
fifteen years ago. A man of diminutive stature (5ft, 6inches). A man of fire, iron and steel, the General lorded absolute power and unbridled authority over 120 million souls.
Not even Generals dare cross his path. Those who did, knelt and wept before him while he offered them tissue paper to wipe their salty tears. Not even a plea from the Pope could melt his heart. Mandela begged him to no avail. No one messed with Abacha. He was gentle. Listening. Cunning. Daring. Attentive. Dangerous. Brave. Brutal. When an American ambassador was irritating the late maximum tyrant, he almost paid with his life. But who was SANI ABACHA, Nigeria’s most enigmatic ruler, and the first head of state to die in office without violence (a man of many firsts as you will soon see)? Why and how he almost blew General Diya out of existence? Why his last son was shot in 2011? His links with America’s most secretive Christian group, Boko Haram and Imam Abubakar Shekau, its leader and Nigeria’s most wanted man? And many more…
Known for his beautiful handwriting, . Known to many as an incorrigible kleptomaniac who will stop at nothing to succeed himself in power, the rise and fall of the dictator and lawn tennis lover whom IBB called the Khalifa. When IBB was leaving the ‘throne’, he retired all the service chiefs with the exception of this man: Sani Abacha (in 1989, IBB cut the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, AFRC from 28 to 19 members, Abacha was one of the survivors and IBB would later make him the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff the same year). Adjust your chair, stretch your legs and let’s learn more about the gripping story of a soldier of audacious strategies who proudly bore his Kanuri tribal marks beneath the darkest of goggles.

EARLY DAYS & SCHOOLING

Unlike other leaders who had ‘humble’ backgrounds, Abacha was not born into squalid poverty. As a matter of fact, his was a prosperous family with his father owning a successful trucking business in Kano State, while two of his brothers also later had their own businesses. The family which migrated to Kano in search of greener pastures, also had a bakery they named ‘Canteen Abacha’. -A Kanuri man (Abacha is NOT Hausa or Fulani, that is quite important as some people tend to lump the entire north together as ‘Hausa-Fulani’ bloc, Hausa is not Fulani and vice versa), he was born in Borno State on a Monday, the 20th September, 1943, grew up in Kano and blended so well that he lies in the soil of the ancient city after he gave up the ghost on another Monday half a century later. His father was positioning him to take over the family’s bread baking business and he ensured he got a good education so as to stem the tide of illiteracy in the family although young Sani would be notorious for his truancy rather than astronomical academic wizardry. At about the same time, the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, was promoting a ‘northernization’ campaign which saw the influx of many eager and enthusiastic lads into the military and other institutions. One of them was a Kanuri boy. Sani.
-City Senior Primary School, Kano. -Kano Provincial Secondary School (finished in 1957). -Government College, Kano (1957-1962), now called Rumfa College. -Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) (now called the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA), Zaria, Kaduna State (1962-1963). -Mons Defence Officers Cadet Training College, Aldershot, England. -General Sani Abacha also had further training: -School of Infantry, Warminster, UK (1966, 1971) -Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State (1976) -National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos (1981) -Senior International Defence Management Course (SIDMC), Monterey, California (1982).

While a student his academic exploits become murky as some reports indicate that the former Nigerian ruler did not graduate from high school before proceeding to NMTC. The intellectual height and the depth of Abacha’s sagacity is a subject of intense debate with colleagues like General Olusegun Obasanjo dismissing him a dull personality, an ‘expendable brute not expected to rise beyond the rank of a warrant officer.’ Some even cited his not attending Sandhurst Royal Military Academy as evidence of an intrinsic lack of intelligence. But Abacha had a way of stupefying his opponents and those who underestimated him. He eventually became the Commander-in-Chief of the world’s most populous black nation. That doesn’t sound like what a stupid dimwit can achieve.

CAREER & COUPS
Here is an overview of Abacha’s rise through the ranks in the Nigerian Army: -Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant: 1963 -Lieutenant: 1966 -Captain: 1967 -Platoon and Battalion Commander, Training Department, Commander, 2nd Infantry Division, Major: 1969 -Lieutenant Colonel: 1972 -Commanding Officer, 2nd Infantry Brigade, Colonel: 1975 -Brigadier: 1980
As a Major-General. -Major-General: 1984 -General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2nd Mechanized Division: 1984-85
With the rank of a Major General of the Nigerian Army.
-Chief of Army Staff: 1985 -Member, Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC): 1985 -Lieutenant-General: 1987 -Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff: 1989
-Minister of Defence: 1990 -Secretary of Defence: 26th August, 1993 -Head of State & Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces: 17th November 1993
He was the Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council, Nigerian military leader and politician who lead Nigeria under military regime from 20 September 1993 – Abuja, 8 June 1998. There is virtually no coup in Nigeria that Abacha did not have an input or involvement. He took active part in the bloody but successful countercoup (Operation Aure) of July 1966 organized by northern military officers and was also believed to be one of the participants the January 1966 coups with him taking part in either the Lagos or Abeokuta phases of the saga although the extent of his role is not too lucid. When Shagari with the skyscraper cap was shoved aside, Abacha was one of the masterminds. By the time Buhari was also ‘axed’ and ‘exed’, Abacha was one of the planners. He operated silently, stealthily and steadily until 1993, when he took over the reins of power himself in a dramatic and action-packed palace coup.
To be continued

Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Nigeria's former minister of Education has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of romancing with politicians who destroyed Nigeria for 16 years.
Speaking with VANGUARD in Abuja, Shekarau said, ''Buhari has said that he has come to right the wrongs of 16-year mess by the PDP. So, I said, ‘Mr. President you are welcome, but reminded that 10 of those 16 years belong to ex-President Obasanjo.

''He had his eight years and by indirect remote control, two years of late President Umaru Yar’Adua was Obasanjo’s. And Obasanjo was the one who produced Yar’Adua and Jonathan. Until three years ago when they fell out (Obasanjo and Jonathan), Obasanjo was in charge. Obasanjo today belongs to those who are chief advisers to President Muhammadu Buhari. Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, was one of the major hit men of Obasanjo, my former governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, was one of the boys of Obasanjo as well as former Governors Bukola Saraki, Goje and all the rest of them.

''They were part of those 16 years which President Buhari was saying that PDP messed up Nigeria, and today because they are APC, they are saints. They are now surrounding the President as his chief advisers. The Amaechis are all part of the PDP. All the election crisis that President Buhari was accusing PDP of perpetrating were a creation of these people, the same who are with him now.

''So what sense does it make that I said you are thief for 16 years, I have come to correct the wrongs that you did and now I am calling you the chief adviser in order to right the wrongs that you committed. Does it make sense? We are waiting to see how they will come out of this.”

.Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on gmailShare on pinterest_shareShare on favoritesShare on redditMore Sharing ServicesBy Jules on Oct 7, 2015 at 8:19 AM.. . Jules Well-Known Member News Hub Team
Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Nigeria's former minister of Education has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of romancing with politicians who destroyed Nigeria for 16 years.



Speaking with VANGUARD in Abuja, Shekarau said, ''Buhari has said that he has come to right the wrongs of 16-year mess by the PDP. So, I said, ‘Mr. President you are welcome, but reminded that 10 of those 16 years belong to ex-President Obasanjo.

''He had his eight years and by indirect remote control, two years of late President Umaru Yar’Adua was Obasanjo’s. And Obasanjo was the one who produced Yar’Adua and Jonathan. Until three years ago when they fell out (Obasanjo and Jonathan), Obasanjo was in charge. Obasanjo today belongs to those who are chief advisers to President Muhammadu Buhari. Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, was one of the major hit men of Obasanjo, my former governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, was one of the boys of Obasanjo as well as former Governors Bukola Saraki, Goje and all the rest of them.

''They were part of those 16 years which President Buhari was saying that PDP messed up Nigeria, and today because they are APC, they are saints. They are now surrounding the President as his chief advisers. The Amaechis are all part of the PDP. All the election crisis that President Buhari was accusing PDP of perpetrating were a creation of these people, the same who are with him now.

''So what sense does it make that I said you are thief for 16 years, I have come to correct the wrongs that you did and now I am calling you the chief adviser in order to right the wrongs that you committed. Does it make sense? We are waiting to see how they will come out of this.” [b] Discussion in 'Political News' started by Jules, Oct 7, 2015. Views count: 4360

.Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on gmailShare on pinterest_shareShare on favoritesShare on redditMore Sharing ServicesBy Jules on Oct 7, 2015 at 8:19 AM.. . Jules Well-Known Member News Hub Team
Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Nigeria's former minister of Education has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of romancing with politicians who destroyed Nigeria for 16 years.



Speaking with VANGUARD in Abuja, Shekarau said, ''Buhari has said that he has come to right the wrongs of 16-year mess by the PDP. So, I said, ‘Mr. President you are welcome, but reminded that 10 of those 16 years belong to ex-President Obasanjo.

''He had his eight years and by indirect remote control, two years of late President Umaru Yar’Adua was Obasanjo’s. And Obasanjo was the one who produced Yar’Adua and Jonathan. Until three years ago when they fell out (Obasanjo and Jonathan), Obasanjo was in charge. Obasanjo today belongs to those who are chief advisers to President Muhammadu Buhari. Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, was one of the major hit men of Obasanjo, my former governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, was one of the boys of Obasanjo as well as former Governors Bukola Saraki, Goje and all the rest of them.

''They were part of those 16 years which President Buhari was saying that PDP messed up Nigeria, and today because they are APC, they are saints. They are now surrounding the President as his chief advisers. The Amaechis are all part of the PDP. All the election crisis that President Buhari was accusing PDP of perpetrating were a creation of these people, the same who are with him now.

''So what sense does it make that I said you are thief for 16 years, I have come to correct the wrongs that you did and now I am calling you the chief adviser in order to right the wrongs that you committed. Does it make sense? We are waiting to see how they will come out of this.” [/b] Discussion in 'Political News' started by Jules, Oct 7, 2015. Views count: 4360

.Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on gmailShare on pinterest_shareShare on favoritesShare on redditMore Sharing ServicesBy Jules on Oct 7, 2015 at 8:19 AM.. . Jules Well-Known Member News Hub Team
Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Nigeria's former minister of Education has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of romancing with politicians who destroyed Nigeria for 16 years.



Speaking with VANGUARD in Abuja, Shekarau said, ''Buhari has said that he has come to right the wrongs of 16-year mess by the PDP. So, I said, ‘Mr. President you are welcome, but reminded that 10 of those 16 years belong to ex-President Obasanjo.

''He had his eight years and by indirect remote control, two years of late President Umaru Yar’Adua was Obasanjo’s. And Obasanjo was the one who produced Yar’Adua and Jonathan. Until three years ago when they fell out (Obasanjo and Jonathan), Obasanjo was in charge. Obasanjo today belongs to those who are chief advisers to President Muhammadu Buhari. Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, was one of the major hit men of Obasanjo, my former governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, was one of the boys of Obasanjo as well as former Governors Bukola Saraki, Goje and all the rest of them.

''They were part of those 16 years which President Buhari was saying that PDP messed up Nigeria, and today because they are APC, they are saints. They are now surrounding the President as his chief advisers. The Amaechis are all part of the PDP. All the election crisis that President Buhari was accusing PDP of perpetrating were a creation of these people, the same who are with him now.

''So what sense does it make that I said you are thief for 16 years, I have come to correct the wrongs that you did and now I am calling you the chief adviser in order to right the wrongs that you committed. Does it make sense? We are waiting to see how they will come out of this.”

What does these fools take us for? Another conference that will address their demand? And not the demands of all the components of Nigeria? Does it mean that north means Nigeria and Nigeria means north?

This will be a total waste of fund. Why not empower the parents and guardians of these students to be able to carter for them? Are we turning Nigeria into an Almajiri country? May God help us with this kind of backward policies.