Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, on Sunday heaped praises on President Muhammadu Buhari, acknowledging that the man he toppled in a coup d’etat in 1985 has remained focused and shown tremendous energy and vibrancy in running the affairs of Nigeria since 2015.
Babangida also acknowledged Buhari’s patriotism and commitment to serve the nation diligently with honesty and sincerity of purpose.
Babangida poured the accolades on Buhari in a statement released to the News Agency of Nigeria, ahead of Buhari’s 76th birthday on Monday, 17th December.
The Minna hilltop-based army general must have beaten a flood of greetings expected to be showered on Buhari on Monday.
Babangida noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has been “an excellent role model to many young aspiring politicians and even to the not-so-young, because of the way and manner you have managed to sustain the survival of our country as an indivisible one nation albeit in the face of many daunting diversions.”
“You achieved great success in the fight against corruption, terrorism and other forms of insecurity in addition to getting our country out of economic recession.
“I wish to congratulate you for all the achievements you have recorded in your lifetime and particularly for your humility, deep sense of honesty and faith you have shown in the various aspects of governance, politics and democracy as our President.”
“As we get over our mid-seventies, we can say with all sense of modesty that we should celebrate every birthday anniversary with prayers in order for us to thank Allah for all the blessings and the bounties He showered upon us.
“It is only fair that we pause and reflect in our own different ways on all the life’s challenges we face day by day and the positive strides we have been blessed to attain.”
“A typical day in the life of a Nigerian President requires faith, poise, patience, tenacity, experience, strategic thinking and quality character for one to get through it.”
“I join the first lady, Aisha and all your children and grandchildren in wishing you many happy returns of your birthday.
“Aisha’s loyalty and support, as the home front commander, is invigorating since by our age we require much comfort, care and affection at home. Welcome to our club of the over 75, ”he concluded.
President Buhari was born in Daura on 17 December, 1942 and after his early education in both Daura and Katsina, he joined the army in 1961, one year ahead of Babangida, who joined in 1962.
After initial training at the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) now known as Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Buhari went for cadet training at from 1962 to 1963 at Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot in England.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant at the age of 20 and appointed Platoon Commander of the Second Infantry Battalion in Abeokuta.
From then on, his military career blossomed. At the head of several commands, before, during and after the civil war, Buhari in 1973 attended the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, India.
After the 1975 coup that brought Murtala Muhammed to power, Buhari was appointed governor of the North Eastern state, where he is now leading, as civilian president and commander-in-chief, a charge of Nigerian troops against Boko Haram insurgency, since 2015.
Buhari was appointed minister of petroleum resources in 1976 by General Olusegun Obasanjo, who succeeded Muhammadu after the aborted coup of same year. From 1978 to 1979, he was Military Secretary at the Army Headquarters and was a member of the Supreme Military Council from 1978 to 1979.
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After the military handed over power to Shehu Shagari in 1979, Buhari, then a colonel attended the US Army War College, in Pennsylvania, where he obtained a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies. He returned home to serve at various times as General Officer Commanding, 4th Infantry Division, 2nd Mechanised Infantry Division and Third Armoured Division in Jos, which he deployed to chase out of Nigeria an invading Chadian forces, in 1983.
He was at that post in Jos in December 1983, when he was announced the military head of state, after a coup on 31 December. Buhari was toppled by Babangida on 25 August 1985.
Buhari retreated into civilian life after several years of restriction by the Babangida junta and came out to serve as chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund during Sani Abacha era.
In 2003, Buhari had his first shot at the presidency. He did not win. He tried again in 2007 and 2011 and also failed to win. On his fourth attempt in 2015, he made the record as the first challenger to defeat an incumbent in the presidential election in Nigeria.
