Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida is searching for a new wife.
IBB as he is popularly known, or Maradona or Evil Genius, for his deft political manoeuvring when ruled Nigeria first as military head of state and then when he made himself military President, is said to have told an interviewer recently he would like to marry again.
He of the Radiculopathy fame is now 78 years old and needs a woman to warm his bed after 10 years of widowerhood.
The retired four-star Army General was President of Nigeria from August 1985 to August 1993. He previously served as the Chief of Army Staff from 1984 to August 1985 during the military regime of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari and is said to be a key player in most of the military coups in Nigeria up till then.
Born in Minna, Niger State on 17th August 1941, IBB was married to Maryam Babangida who died in 2009. Events to mark the 10th year memorial of Maryam were held recently and obviously the ‘almost-Octogenarian’ has tried to weather the storm without his late heartthrob for 10 years.
The light-complexioned man with the gapped tooth must have been through much pressure from many women since Maryam’s passing and has tried his best to keep to a single life. He was a powerful man, the type many women would like to be married to, young or old.
But his question to himself these 10 years must have been who could fit the shoes of Maryam.
IBB and Mariam
Maryam Babangida was credited with officially creating the position of First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and setting the trend for that position in line with that of the American First Lady.
As first lady, she launched many programmes to improve the life of women. She was a pretty lady and a woman of style, fashion and poise, even after IBB left office.
Born in 1948 in Asaba, Delta State, her mother was Hajiya Asabe Halima Mohammed from Niger State and Mr. Leonard Nwanonye Okogwu from Asaba.
She married then Major Ibrahim Babangida on 6th September 1969 and they had four children, boys Mohammed and Aminu, and two girls, Aisha and Halima.
As First Lady of Nigeria between 1985 and 1993, she turned the ceremonial post into a champion for women’s rural development. She founded the Better Life for Rural Women in 1987 which launched many co-operatives, cottage industries, farms and gardens, shops and markets, women’s centres and social welfare programmes. In addition, the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development was established in 1993 for research, training and to mobilize women towards self-emancipation.
Mariam Babangida
She reached out to the first ladies of other African countries to emphasize the effective role they could play in improving the lives of their people.
Many Nigerian First Ladies after Maryam tried to follow the trend she blazed but it is clear that she was a real trail blazer.
It is these shoes of Maryam that IBB is now trying to fill at age 78, when he opened up last week, on life as a widower, 10 years after losing Mariam to ovarian cancer.
While he acknowledges that his new wife will not be much younger than him in age, as it might end up becoming a big issue, there is no doubt that a comparison of a potential candidate with Maryam is already on his mind, when he wondered if the “new wife will be able to live the way he lived with Mariam”, according to the interview.
IBB confirmed his search for a wife:
“Yes, I am quite sure. I’m searching and I’m hoping. But the longer I wait, maybe, the more problematic it becomes. If it drags, I would be too old and the whole idea of having a partner would seem to diminish. But I will make sure [I have a partner] before reaching that stage. If somebody is in the corner, you could organise that in three or six months. And because it must be somebody you have known for a long time, or somebody you have been in contact with for a long time, you don’t just tell them look this is for marriage.
“But as time passes, and relationship building continues, it could end up in marriage. However, I have to be fair in my search. I really want to be fair. For instance, you don’t expect me to take a wife much younger than I am because that will be a problem for her and for me.
“I have to be fair. Secondly, I do wonder if she (the chosen one) would be able to live the way Maryam and I did, which is not easy these days. So, I keep on praying; and I think it will happen”.
Will it happen? Why not? Even at his age, his power and political influence is still evident. Political aspirants have made his Minna hilltop home a Mecca of sorts, where they go to seek his blessing and support for top positions in the nation’s political space.
While there is no tag of First Lady attached to a new IBB wife and there will obviously never be, there is no doubt that the successful candidate will still receive some pecks and wield some influence with the title, ‘Wife of IBB’.
So ladies, over to you.
IMAGE CREDIT: USA Africa, Premium Times, Facebook.com
Epa Ogie Eboigbe, veteran journalist, broadcaster and public affairs specialist writes on, and analyses current and historical issues with a ‘wise pen’.
One Comment on “IBB: The Search For A New Wife For Maradona ”
I wish him all the best in his quest to find a wife. The Bible declared that “he that findeth a wife, findeth a good thing and obtains favour from the Lord ” May God bless as you find the wife that is hidden in His bosom for you.
I wish him all the best in his quest to find a wife. The Bible declared that “he that findeth a wife, findeth a good thing and obtains favour from the Lord ” May God bless as you find the wife that is hidden in His bosom for you.