•IBB and late General Mamman Vatsa
As the recent book launch by the former military president, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) continues to generate more negative than positive reactions, the family of late General Mamman Jiya Vatsa has come out to state that after going through, they only see binded paper materials meant to best serve as reference purposes for criminals.
Family of Mamman Vatsa, executed on an allegation of coup plot against the then Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida in 1986, is reacting to the submission made by the former Nigerian leader in his autobiography book that the killing of Vatsa was justified because there was enough evidence implicating him in the coup.
Spokesperson for the family and former Niger State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa told journalists in Minna that Babangida’s allegations as contained in his book were merely concocted to suit the immediate plans and purpose of the author, reports Daily Independent.
Describing IBB as being completely lost in the affairs of honour by the many lies as contained in his belated autobiography book, Jonathan who is a cousin to late Mamman Vatsa said he decided to react after reading the book he said is, ‘full of deceits and distorted facts’, meant to suit the plans and purpose of the author.
“Babangida’s book cannot serve as a reference material to young and up coming generations but for criminals, because it is a collection of distorted facts. A call book written by a man without identity, and this cannot serve as a reference for responsible younger generations but a good reference book for criminally minded people,” he said.
Jonathan Vatsa who had also served as the ruling party in the state, All Progressive Congress (APC), battled to control tears as he addressed journalists in Minna today. He said it is unfortunate that IBB is still being economical with the truth about why he approved the execution of his best friend.
Ordinarily, the Vatsa family, according to him, wouldn’t have wasted time joining issues with a man whom he said decided to change his identity just to belong to a certain ethnic group for pecuniary reasons but since Babangida has refused to allow Mamman Vatsa rest in peace after killing him, “We will let him know that even in death, late Mamman Vatsa is a more honorable man because he has an identity, and he came from a home”.
Babangida, he said, admitted changing his name to Babangida so that people will know that he is a northerner, pointing out that, “where did he get the name Badamosi from in the first place, because northerners don’t bear the name Badamosi?”
The former Commissioner who also argued that, Badamosi is synonymous to the south west people said, “A man who denied his tribe and identity for whatsoever reasons is not fit to live”.
The many lies as contained in Babangida’s book are clear evidence that he is, ‘not a genius the Nigerian media created for him but a lilly-livered’ General for annulling the June 12 election and failing to retire late General Abacha for fear of being killed by loyalists of Abacha in the Army as claimed in his book.
“How can IBB lie that it was Abacha who annulled the June 12 election if he was in control as a Head of State? He equally admitted that the Military was heavily politicised and because of that he couldn’t retire Abacha for fear of being killed by Abacha loyalists in the Army”.
Jonathan Vatsa said he believed that those who advised Babangida to write the bunch of lies and blackmails called autobiography ended up adding to his already dented and battered image.
Jonathan who said he and his siblings saw it all unfolding though a small boy then, said, “It would have been better for him to keep quiet, continue to ask God for forgiveness so that he can die peacefully than dishing out chunk of lies or half truths and deceit far from the truth about himself as a human being.
“Unfortunately the man he accused of annulling the June 12 and all the actors in the June 12 controversy are no more today to tell their own side of the story, that is why no serious minded individual should take the book and the author serious.
“This is a man that earlier said he will not write any book because, according to him, there are people he cannot resist abusing and that he wouldn’t want to hurt their children and grand children but, what has he done now? Is this not a lack of emotional stability?
“Even in death, Babangida has refused to allow late Mamman Vatsa and his family have peace, he is still troubling the dead man and his entire family. Well, people have seen the end of our brother, but Babangida doesn’t know how he will end up.
“The joy of the family is that the reactions of Nigerians after the so-called book presentation shows that the killing of late General Mamman Vatsa was done out of envy, malice and hatred.
“It was a case of a man with a root and identity versus someone who has no roots and a second name,” he said.
