From: Citizens for Nigeria (CFN), United States of America Chapter
Date: December 6, 2006
Dear Congressman (Name):
NOTICE ON GENERAL IBRAHIM BABANGIDA
Please find attached your copy of the letter sent by our group, the Citizens for Nigeria (CFN), an inter-continental group of Nigerian professionals, to former Nigerian Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, in response to his declaration to contest as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Respectable and decent Nigerians all over the world consider General Babangida’s participation in the democratic process a very serious threat to Nigeria’s security and stability. General Babangida’s past records clearly demonstrate he is a danger to the future of the largest and most populous black nation in the world.
Our organization, as well as prominent Nigerians, such as the Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka; statesman and former minister, Professor Tam David-West; nationalist elder statesman, Mr. Anthony Enahoro; former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon; human rights activist, Mr. Gani Fawehinmi; respected politician, Mr. Balarabe Musa; the National Association of Nigerian Students; and General Ishola Williams, now a top official of Transparency International, are strongly opposed to General Babangida’s candidacy.
Internationally, former South African President, Mr. Nelson Mandela, and erudite Jamaican scholar, Professor Patrick Wilmot, have equally voiced concern about General Babangida. Informed people everywhere have recognized that another Babangida administration would negatively change the face of Africa as a result of political dislocations that will potentially result from yet another misguided adventure by the General. The sheer population of our nation should make world leaders shudder at the magnitude of economic and human crisis that will occur in the event of political instability in Nigeria. A problem in Nigeria, a nation of over 150 million people and 250 ethnic divisions, will make the crises in Dafur, Somalia, Liberia, Rwanda and Congo, all put together, a child’s play. General Babangida will inflame the social and political tensions in Nigeria, just as he did before.
The mass media have reported that General Babangida is currently making overtures to the Congressional Black Caucus to win support for his political ambition. He is also known to have been spending millions of dollars stolen from the public treasury to lobby other groups and, possibly, get a visa to visit the United States to court influential black leaders.
The Nigerian people have paid the price in blood to prevent General Babangida from perpetuating himself in power. Nicknamed "Maradona" by the Nigerian media for his political dribbles, his eight-year rule of political deception, when he kept shifting the dates for a transition to civil rule that he had willingly set, ended when Nigerians forced him out of power by popular protests in 1993 after he annulled elections that was undoubtedly the freest and fairest. While Nigerians are still struggling to stop General Babangida, should their efforts be frustrated by our African American leaders?
We hope all the members of the Caucus will not give this tyrant a piggy ride to the speedy demise of a promising democracy as Nigeria, which is also an important economic and political ally of the United States. It is time for African American lawmakers, who are also our congressmen and congresswomen because we are dual citizens of the United States, to take a stand on the side of the good people of Nigeria, your own ancestral blood.
The sufferings of black people anywhere should be a concern to the Congressional Black Caucus. Nigerians, who have suffered in the past under the Babangida regime, stand to suffer again. We trust you will not let us, your constituents, down by supporting a despot in the class of his peers such as Mobutu Sese Seko, Charles Taylor and General Sani Abacha. You will recall the fate of former U.S. Senator Carol Mosley-Braun over her career-ending involvement with General Abacha in Nigeria.
The vision of the founding members of the CBC to "promote the public welfare through legislation designed to meet the needs of millions of neglected citizens," ought to be as applicable internationally as it is domestically. One of the CBC’s current priorities is to eradicate “poverty, hunger and armed conflicts in countries around the world, especially in Africa and the Caribbean.” With General Babangida’s records, Nigeria has become a true test of your affirmation.
It will be a tragedy of historic proportions if the Congressional Black Caucus is deceived to be identified with someone whose records of tyranny speak so loudly. We understand that a tyrant with a lot of money from dubious means can put those resources to use, but it is left for decent people to stand up for the oppressed majority.
It is for this reason that the Citizens for Nigeria and Againstbabangida.com appeal to all members of the Caucus to dissociate from General Ibrahim Babangida’s campaign of deception and instead support a virile democracy in Nigeria.
Thank you.
For: Citizens for Nigeria, Worldwide
