Nigeria And The IBB Years
When Nigerian contemporary political history is dispassionately analysed and distilled, one name that would stand out as a force to reckon with is that of Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) and that explains the volumes of encomium showered on him the penultimate week during his 78th birthday in spite of the jeering voices in some quarters. The tributes especially coming from respectable individuals and current political office holders are indications that IBB was and still very much relevant in the Nigeria political arena. And as a concerned Nigerian who witnessed the enormous accomplishments during his regime I feel obliged to make my contribution, not necessarily to countervail the bitter comments from his traducers but to give honour to whom honour is due.
IBB’s regime was an epoch-making era in the annals of Nigerian politics. Although, there is no space in this piece to accommodate all that were accomplished during the tenure, yet it is pertinent to point out a few. A cursory look at the Babangida years is enough to establish his landmark achievement in Nigeria. Before he came to power in August 1985, Nigerians were living like people under siege. In particular, the economy was in sorry state, with low national productivity arising from our firms operating below their installed capacities. There was high and rising unemployment with its attendant high dependency-ratio and social problems. There was high import-dependency with its concomitant chronic balance of payment situation and the economy was precariously mono-cultural, almost entirely dependent on oil.
There was heavy debt burden and dwindling government revenue arising from negative vibrations from the international oil market. And, previous policy responses to these problems by regimes preceding his were in the form of ad hoc measures. The Obasanjo’s low profile, Shagari’sausterity measures and Buhari’s moribundcounter trade policies threw the economy into recession until IBB came on board. Worse still, Nigeria had had faulty centre-periphery development paradigm that never addressed our development challenges.
IBB’s response to the motley of economic challenges facing the nation then was the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP): a home-grown policy initiative that was designed by the government think-tank after the rejection of IMF loans by Nigerians. SAP was a bold, comprehensive and a genuine economic reconstruction programme; a fundamental departure from the past ad hoc measures. The overall objective of SAP was to diversify the productive base of the economy by reducing dependence on oil, generate employment, increase indigenous participation in our economy and improve the welfare of the citizenry.
The commercialization and privatization programmes were to increase local participation and reduce cost of governance and unproductive investment in the public sector. The deregulation and liberalisation were to encourage competition, innovation and growth in the economy. The forex management policy was aimed at using the market forces to find the realistic exchange rate of the naira. Local sourcing of raw materials was aimed at vertical integration to promote our local industries and SMEs to generate employment and growth in local technology. This was a dual strategy of import substitution and export promotion. Debt equity swap and other measures were designed to attract foreign direct investment.
The big firms and the big names in our business environment today benefited from the enabling environment created by the deregulation and liberalization policy of SAP. The liberalization of the telecom sector led to the GSM that we use today. Again for the same reason NECO, NABTEB were established and ANAN granted charter. The programme opened up the economy for investors as banking licenses were granted to willing investors, private universities were licensed, private TV and radio stations came on board.
In the internal affairs, IBB achieved a lot upon assumption of office; he abolished the obnoxious decrees two and four and dissolved the notorious NSO and created State Security Service (SSS), DMI, NIA and other agencies for national security. Many Nigerians who were hitherto incarcerated illegally were released. To demonstrate his avowed commitment to work and national unity, he chose and worked with some of the best brains in the land. Nigerians cannot forget in a hurry the contributions of members of IBB team like: Dr. Chu S.P. Okongwu, Chief Olu Falae, Prof. Olikoye Ransome Kuti, Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, Prof. Jibril Aminu, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Prof. Eme Awa, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, Prince Bola Ajibola Prof. George Obiozor, and many others. Every sector, every facet of the society and every region felt the impact of his administration.
Indeed IBB understands the essence of governance and the principles of stakeholders’ engagement. He carried the people along in most of his programmes. He instituted the Political Bureau headed by Dr. S. J. Cookey to enable the people make their input in the evolving political process. MAMSER now NOA was established to educate the public on government programmes and policies and for mass mobilisation. It is on record that the introduction of SAP came after the Nigerian people roundly rejected the IMF loan and its stringent conditionality.
Granted that his transition programme was a bit long but that is not unconnected with his desire to develop and perfect our home grown democracy. He adapted two party system (SDP & NRC) and option A4 voting system which obviously are the best for us. This explains the success of June 12 election which even his critics adjudged to be the best and fairest election in Nigerian history.
––Gozie Irogboli, goziei@yahoo.com
