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The biggest catalyst to coup happening at anytime is frustration in the society, former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has said.
Being a major participant and principal actor in many coup d’etats in Nigeria’s turbulent political history, the man fondly known as IBB must be listened to particularly when he sermonizes on the subject matter of coups.
The gap-toothed retired Army General was a player in the coup that toppled the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon in 1975 and smartly took down Muhammadu Buhari’s government when the the then Head of State was in Mecca, performing the Muslim holy prigrimage in 1985.
Speaking against the backdrop of the recent takeover of a democratically elected government in Republic of Niger by a band of military officers, IBB noted that societal frustration often makes it easier for coup to succeed.
In a YouTube video obtained by our correspondent, the former Head of State took a trip down memory lane to say, “We knew in 1983 that we would have an election when Shehu Shagari was voted in for a second term as a democratically-elected President. We could have toppled that government in 1982 before the election.
“But we said no, the people might go against us. We knew that they were not going to conduct that election truly and fairly.
“To stage a coup, there is one basic element that everybody look out for: frustration in the society. By 1983 when we voted, many people were not happy. We find coup easier when there is frustration in the society.”
In a an exclusive interview with Pointblanknews.com, security expert and a golden member of the International Security Association, Switzerland, Jackson Lekan Ojo, agrees with IBB, arguing that when majority of the people are frustrated, the military often come to their aid by bringing down the structures of government.
“What IBB said is true. Just go over the coup speeches of the actors and you would realize that the man said it the way it is. The common denominator in those speeches is that people were losing hope, Nigerians were losing hope and the coup plotters who probably acted in their own interest, saw that as an opportunity to strike.
“Leaders must strive to make the people happy. We saw what happened not long ago in Mali and Burkina Faso and recently in Niger Republic. It is foolish to think it won’t happen again,” he said.