Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida has asserted that his greatest achievement as Nigeria’s leader was to know more about the country and make friends across the board while adopting coercion and dialogue as leadership styles to help the country.
Babangida who spoke during an interview with journalists at his Hilltop residence in Minna, pointed out that he would advise younger Nigerians aspiring to lead the country to seek to know the people and understand Nigeria better.
When he asked to rank his achievements throughout his career, he said; ‘Number one is that I served the country the best. I could, it may not be to your satisfaction but to the best that I could; I leave that to history to judge.
‘I related fairly well with the people of the country. I had no problem with them and I got to know the country more as I was well travelled. I made friends all over the country and I thought that was one of the greatest achievements,’ he said.
The former military ruler said young Nigerians should try as much as possible to know and understand the country because they would lead the country in future.
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‘You have an opportunity now as young people, get to know the country, study the country, the people and if you are able to do that or to understand that, basically I think that will go a long way to prepare you for the eventual leadership of the country,” he said.
‘Just like any other style, you are placed in a leadership position; your job is to lead people. You develop a situation where people look up to you to provide certain solutions to their problems or to their fears.
‘Whatever it is and you stand out as the person who will be able to do that. So you have to study human beings, you have to read about them and you have to be very compassionate. Sometimes ruthlessness to get things done but there are a lot of ways you have to develop so that you will be able to achieve certain things. Others you plead with, some you coerce and so on and so forth.’
While commenting on his civil war experience, Babangida said it was a sad experience and he would not want a repeat—that is fighting those you trained with for the unity of the country.