Chuks Ibegbu, former spokesman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has called on past Nigerian rulers to confess their actions that cost millions of lives such as the civil war, coups, and counter-coups.
He wants them to follow the example of former military President Ibrahim Babangida, who recently admitted that Chief Moshood Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
He made this revelation in his autobiography, “A Journey in Service.” The book was launched in Abuja on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
Seeking Truth and Reconciliation
During the book review, Babangida confirmed that Abiola, the SDP candidate, received the most votes and had the constitutional geographical spread requirement to have won the presidency.
Ibegbu said Babangida’s confession about Abiola’s victory is “apt” and said he expected Babangida to address other significant events of his regime.
“Nigerians were still waiting to hear what happened on the Hercules Air crash, Gloria Okonkwo issue, Dele Giwa, among others,” Ibegbu stated.
Ibegbu may be referring to the events in the mid-1960s which ultimately culminated in a bloody Nigeria-Biafran civil war that claimed at least 3.5 million lives, mostly of South Eastern Nigerian civilians.
Ibegbu challenged past leaders to also explain how Nigeria’s wealth was used or mismanaged which brought Nigeria – one of the promising stars during the African independence movement, to its current economic stagnation.
“We need to know all these for permanent reconciliation,” he said. He believes these confessions are necessary for national healing and essential before Nigeria can move forward.
Like 👍, Comment, share this article, and Follow us on our social media handles.