How not to be a septuagenarian

Nigeria is 50 years old. Both Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida are accountable for 36 per cent of those years; the former, having ruled the country for 11 years as a military ruler and president, and the later ruled the country as a self-pronounced military president for 8 years.

More than anybody else that matters in Nigeria’s history, they both are the reason Nigeria has not attained its touted status as Africa’s powerhouse. They both had similar opportunities to build Nigeria into that proverbial ‘giant of Africa’ while in power.

During Obasanjo’s military reign between 1976 and 1979, there was the ‘oil boom’ of the 70s, which proved to be nothing more than giving a $100m to a kid to freely use as he will.  During Babangida’s reign between 1985 and 1993, there was also the Gulf War Oil windfall, estimated at $12m, which till date disappeared into thin and untraceable hands.

Lastly, during Obasanjo’s reign as a civilian president, there was the ever swelling excess crude account funded by sale of crude oil which, for the most part of his eight-year reign, sold far higher than its benchmark value. The omens were never better for the country than those periods when these two septuagenarians governed the country. But in their vitriolic verbal exchanges, which started on Babangida’s 70th birthday, they have no glorious tale to say about how they have used the resources available to them.

What a great debut into that respected age group for Babangida, who took a detour from his normal reticent personality to throw the first salvo. Unfortunately, the country divided into a 'Team IBB' and 'Team OBJ'. More disturbing is the fact that both teams have spoken about failures than achievements. It is unbelievable how they seem never to run dry of gist of each other’s failures. This debate would have long  fizzled out almost immediately it started, had it been based on what each did better while in power.

Coincidentally, this happened at a time that another septuagenarian and former self-styled vice president, Augustus Aikhomu died. Every spoken and written speech at his burial was all eulogies and good tales.

"He contributed to the development of this country,” said Abdulsalami Abubakar, Nigeria’s last military ruler, who will also become a septuagenarian next year. I do not know if he was quoted right but all indications show that Nigeria is anything but developed and the late Aikhomu contributed to the current retrogression we witness now.

So also did Obasanjo and Babangida, who unfortunately, will also be getting glorious eulogies from across the globe when they pass on to the world beyond. Many of our leaders, especially those in the septuagenarian circle, are not worth emulating if we want a better country for ourselves and coming generations. Not Aikhomu, not Obasanjo, and certainly not Babangida.

Now, I am not bothered about Obasanjo and Babangida’s outbursts. What disturbs me is how Nigerians go about taking sides in the debate of "Who is a greater fool: OBJ or IBB?" They have both proven they are failures and this is what we should be telling them and other septuagenarians of their ilk.