Niyi Akinnaso
In a recent BBC interview, former head of-state, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, had this to say about the 1993 presidential election: “But it was not annulled, it was rather cancelled. We gave the reasons. We told Nigerians that we cancelled the election because of the prevailing circumstances then.”
In a recent BBC interview, former head of-state, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, had this to say about the 1993 presidential election: “But it was not annulled, it was rather cancelled. We gave the reasons. We told Nigerians that we cancelled the election because of the prevailing circumstances then.”
Not since former President Bill Clinton parsed the word “is” during his infamous deposition on the Monica Lewinsky affair has a politician defended his action by playing on words in such a way that highlighted the politician’s duplicity. Clinton’s evasiveness during his deposition was understandable: He was reluctant to divulge a private affair that had no direct consequence on the nation he ruled.
On the other hand, Babangida nullified a presidential election and changed the course of Nigerian history for the worse. It unleashed 6 years of “a season of anomie”, which included Abacha’s dictatorship, economic strangulation, wanton imprisonment, exile, death, and other woes. Chief M.K.O. Abiola, who legitimately won that election, died in detention during this period. Babangida’s attempt to substitute one word for another in explaining his ignoble action in 1993 constitutes an affront on well-meaning Nigerians and advocates of democracy everywhere.
It would be naïve to assume that Babangida had no motive for highlighting the high quality of the election. Rather than accept blame for its nullification, he may want to take credit for the good conduct of the election.
Even more unacceptable than the reason he gave for nullifying the election is Babangida’s new semantic preference. There are several problems with the shift from “annul” to “cancel”. In a single sentence during the interview, Babangida contradicted himself twice. He first denied what he did in 1993 by eating his own word; he actually used the word “annulled” in two separate broadcasts to the nation in 1993. Then, in the same sentence, he goes on to re-affirm what he denied by using the word “cancel”.
At a deep semantic level, both words mean one and the same thing. However, Babandiga’s attempt to exploit semantic differences between “annul” and “cancel” failed woefully, because either word leads to the same consequence.
You may wonder why Babangida now prefers “cancel” to “annul”. It may well be because he thinks that the former word makes light of his action and, therefore, makes the action excusable. Babangida’s insistence on this word recalls the words of an assassin to the relatives of the victim of his action. The assassin tells them: “I did not assassinate your man. I only killed him”. On hearing this, some of the relatives shouted “Killer!”, while others shouted “Murderer!” The assassin responded: “Actually, I did not kill or murder your man. I only beheaded him.”
Assassins and murderers kill people, whether it is by beheading or shooting or some other means. The slight difference in meaning has to do with the status of their victims. An assassin typically kills prominent people, such as notable politicians, whereas a murderer kills just about anyone.
By dropping the word “annul” for “cancel”, Babangida now seeks to divest himself of the presidential authority behind his action. Like the assassin in our story, Babangida now thinks that he can explain away his action by using another word.
The sleek way in which Babangida seeks to take credit for what was good about the 1993 presidential election, while insisting that he only cancelled, rather than annulled, the same election, is yet another evidence of the Maradona in him. Just as Babangida’s action stalled Nigeria’s progress, Maradona’s goal took England out of the World Cup in 1986. It matters no more whether he kicked, headed, used his chest, or handled the ball into the net.
The final affront during the BBC interview came towards the end where Babangida says, “I have presidential ambition and I will definitely contest on the platform of my party”. Instead of expressing remorse and contrition for past misdeeds, the man who “cancelled” the best election in Nigerian history now wants to be elected President. Haba! Even from his grave, M.K.O. Abiola should not hesitate to request that any political party that fields Babangida in 2007 should have its registration annulled or cancelled. And Abiola should have millions of supporters here on earth.
Prof. Akinnaso teaches Anthropology and Linguistics in the United States.
