For his uncompromising stance against indiscipline, incorrigible fight against corruption and dying at a relatively young age under a most mysterious circumstance, Major General BABATUNDE ABDULBAKI ‘Tunde’ IDIAGBON has become a legend of sorts and some will say, a martyr and true hero. But who was this stern-looking, Ilorin-born General many said never smiled? Was it true he never smiled? No. He did smile. But why was he feared that much? A lot of Nigerians hate him because he wanted them to be more responsible, more disciplined and more useful. Many soldiers were totally terrified of him. Some others were so petrified at his mere presence that even Babangida, Abacha and his fellow coup plotters could not execute a coup with Idiagbon on Nigerian soil. They had to wait for him to leave the country. Idiagbon was too disciplined, too straight and too honest for corrupt individuals. Today, the society has gone to the dogs and it seems Nigerians are somewhat comfortable with or adapting to, the rot in the society. Or both. The story has started and it was all about 30 years ago.
An extremely courageous man, Idiagbon did the unthinkable: he came right back to the country even when he knew clearly that his Commander-in-Chief, Buhari had been deposed, and guns, tanks and battle-ready soldiers would be waiting for him at the airport. Against all advice, he came back to Nigeria, not even an offer of living in a palatial mansion for life of retirement in comfort by the King of Saudi Arabia, Fahd ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Sa‘ūd, could make him stay. He returned to face his enemies (even Gowon did not come back to challenge his foes). Idiagbon was a true General, a no-nonsense one at that. A most loyal friend who made many enemies. He said it would be a honour for him to die beside Buhari, his boss, who saved his life during the civil war. A most caring father. Principled soldier. One never to abandon the warfront in the heat of the battle. He loved Nigeria, fought for Nigeria and today, he may become unsung in the same nation he might have paid the ultimate sacrifice for. Like everyone of us, Idiagbon had his flaws and made his mistakes but that he wanted to make Nigeria a better place is what no one will deny. Not even his sworn enemies.
A well-educated man who spoke refined English, he also bagged a bachelors degree in Economics from the Pakistani Military Academy. In addition to this, he was an associate member of the Nigerian Institute of Management and also had a diploma in Senior International Defence Management.
Although Idiagbon came to the height of national prominence when Buhari became head of state, he had actually being a member of military governments (the regimes of Yakubu Gowon, Murtala Muhammed and Olusegun Obasanjo). Under General Obasanjo, Idiagbon was appointed as the Military Administrator of Borno State.
As hinted earlier on, Idiagbon’s style of leadership earned him a long line of powerful enemies and they devised a way to get rid of him. However, they knew that the combination of Buhari and Idiagbon would be very difficult to dislodge. To neutralize the regime, Idiagbon had to be removed from the scene first before any attempt can be made to topple Buhari. So in 1985 the plan was hatched by Babangida, MKO Abiola and his ilk to lure Idiagbon to travel out of Nigeria to attend the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Abiola also gladly provided the money for the coup. But wetin be Abiola own? The Buhari/Idiagbon regime had seized a huge consignment of Abiola’s imported newsprint, which was on the government contraband list and they refused to release it to the Ogun State business mogul. Idiagbon had barely started his rites in the oil-rich desert kingdom when news reached him that his boss had been overthrown and detained. He was given clear warnings to stay away from the country or he would be dealt with.
At that point, the billionaire Saudi monarch, the late King Fahd Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud called Idiagbon and made an offer. The Saudi King told Idiagbon that he would get a palatial mansion and stay for his retirement for life and forget about the idea of returning to Nigeria. Idiagbon politely declined the offer and told King Fahd that he had to return to Nigeria for two good reasons, one of which was to make a statement that he was not a coward so his family will later walk proud and that it would also be a great honour for him to die beside his boss, General Buhari, who saved his life during the Nigerian Civil War. Few days later, he entered the Nigerian airspace. Armed soldiers and all kinds of weapons waited for him at the airport but he did not budge.
For daring to enter the Nigerian territory and having the guts to challenge a corrupt system, Idiagbon was placed under house arrest in Benin City and Bauchi State. He was locked up with his boss for 40 horrible months. He and Buhari had ruled Nigeria for 20 months before IBB and his boys came in and embarked on their coup. When IBB overthrew his boss, he lashed out at their regime for being ‘rigid and uncompromising’. Special venom was reserved by IBB for Idiagbon as he descended on him with scathing criticism (IBB was later accused of mischievously carving out parts of Kwara State like Kainji and adding to his own Niger State out of his disdain for Idiagbon). When Idiagbon returned, he was put under house arrest by the IBB regime for three years. When he was released, he returned as a civilian to his hometown of Ilorin where he was received and hailed as a hero.
IDIAGBON’S RETIREMENT
After his release, he took to farming and almost completely slipped out of public glare. He refused to speak to any journalist or reporter, even on very crucial national issues. Even when General Sani Abacha invited him to head the Failed Contracts Tribunal, he simply refused and brushed aside the Khalifa’s invitation. For almost 15 years, he did not talk to the public and faced his business. It was only on very rare occasions that he attended public events, like that of the coronation of his good friend, Major-General Mohammed Sani Sami (rtd) (Sani Gomo II) as the Emir of Zuru, Kebbi State in 1996 (Sami was the Bauchi State (now Bauchi and Gombe States) Governor under Buhari). It was not until after Abacha’s sudden demise in June 1998 that Idiagbon decided to embrace the limelight once again and contribute his own quota to national development. Interestingly, he was dead 10 months later.
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