Dele Giwa: Nigeria must move on, he is now history, says Ibrahim Babangida
Dele-Giwa
Former Military leader and 2011 Presidential dream lord, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida is urging Nigerians to put behind the issue of the death of Dele Giwa, the former Co- Founder of Newswatch Magazine and former Editor of Sunday Concord Newspaper.
He was a guest of the London weekly Political programme on London based Ben Television, You Decide, which is always anchored by the Chief Executive of the Station, Dr Alistair Soyode.
Mr Dele Giwa died in in 1986 after he was sent a parcel bomb in his Ikeja residence in Lagos during Babangida’s Military regime and his killers after almost 25 years are yet to be traced.
Several people have accused the ex General of taking an important part in the assassination while the issue of why the journalist’s killers have never been identified keep creeping into the front wheel of political and social events in the country especially now that Babangida is seeking a new political office.
Responding to questions from Alistair Soyode, the Chief Executive of Ben Television, Babangida trivialised the issue claiming that “Nigeria is bigger than Dele Giwa and that the issue of his death should be forgotten for ever”.
Why are people fond of linking Dele Giwa’s death to Babangida?.
“It is like saying that it was OBJ who killed Bola Ige. If Bola Ige’s death cannot be linked to Obasanjo, why should Dele Giwa’s death be linked to Babangida’s?”, he queried.
“Nigeria has moved on and the nation is bigger than a single individual”, the former military ruler said asking the reason why the nation is not sleeping because of only one person.
Mr Soyode had put forward to the former ruler many issues of national concern during the interview, requesting him to provide answers to many especially those issues that are traceable to his almost nine year regime.
“Nigeria is bigger than a single individual. The nation should look forward”, he said.
Dele Giwa was a Nigerian journalist (editor and founder of Newswatch magazine) who was killed by a mail bomb in his home on October 19, 1986. He attended Oduduwa College, Ile-Ife, Nigeria and travelled to the USA for his higher education. His wife and infant daughter were upstairs when the bomb exploded, and were unharmed.
Newswatch
According to Giwa’s lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi, State Security Service (SSS) officials summoned the popular editor to their headquarters on October 17, just 48 hours before he was killed. Giwa was accused of planning a social revolution and of smuggling arms into the country]
The government’s coat of arms appeared on the outside of the package, according to Nigerian press reports Although police investigated the murder, no one was ever prosecuted. In 2001, former Nigerian dictator Ibrahim Babangida, who ruled the country from 1985 to 1993, refused to testify before a national human rights commission about the Giwa murder..
Babangida commended the Nigeria youths for taking a centre -stage in National affairs and development tracing the history of that success to his regime and youth motivation.
He claimed the successes of many of today young sters were as a result of his motivational approach towards them during his regime having laid a good foundation for them during his government.
He commended himself for a job well done during his regime having motivated those youths and directing them towards their route of success.
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Just hope another YEAA is not in the offing?
“He claimed the success of many of today young sters were as a result of his motivational approach towards them during his regime having laid a good foundation for them during his government.”?????/
This is how Nigerians will put anything relating to Babangida in to the bin of his as soon as possible
This is how Nigerians will put anything about Babangida in to the bin of history after the next election
Refering to Ibrahim Badamosis comment about Dele Giwa well God almighty will forget your wife and I hope she is rotten in hell