Ibrahim Babangida

Each one of us, and, indeed, all those who aspire to national leadership must bring their own visions, views and styles to the business of reforming Nigeria, and the search for solutions.
Ibrahim Babangida

It is only through books that we partake of the great harvest that is human civilization across the ages.
Ibrahim Babangida

There is also work to do in the evolution of a stable family life and values, and in ensuring that the Nigerian family is built on core values that will form the bedrock of the future society. We must showcase the ideals of family life and be models of family values.
Ibrahim Babangida

Even now, we make no apologies for the choice we made. The sacrifices we made were selfless. The options we offered were patriotic while the paths we chose were well thought out.
Ibrahim Babangida

With each new book, the march of our national history takes a step forward. When one is present at a book launch, one is bearing witness to the birth of a new body of ideas, to the coming into being of another testimony of history.
Ibrahim Babangida

For as long as our people are held hostage by controllable socio-economic forces, we cannot afford to be indifferent to the ravages of poverty in all its dimensions and ramifications.
Ibrahim Babangida

I believe that historians and analysts of historical events need the authority of facts supplied by living witnesses to the events, which they make their subject.
Ibrahim Babangida

At the same, we need to remain sensitive to the reality that we are still an African society in which the majority of the people and communities live under severe deprivations and afflictions that are no fault of theirs.
Ibrahim Babangida

But no nation can base its survival and development on luck and prayers alone while its leadership fritters away every available opportunity for success and concrete achievement.
Ibrahim Babangida

Debate and divergence of views can only enrich our history and culture.
Ibrahim Babangida

Most importantly, nothing has happened to change my conviction that freedom and the love of liberty remain the essential defining attributes of our national character as a people.
Ibrahim Babangida

Our approach to economic development must be modern, focused and in tune with the global trend.
Ibrahim Babangida

If you ask me to summarise our mission, I would put it this way: We were a military regime that sought to lay the foundations for freedom and liberty in a complex society.
Ibrahim Babangida

To meet the expectations of the majority of our people, and to open up new vistas of economic opportunity so that the aspirations of Nigerians can stand a fair chance of being fulfilled in a lifetime, there must be a truly committed leadership in a democratic Nigeria.
Ibrahim Babangida

We have established a new basis in our country in which economic liberalization would continue to flourish alongside democratic forces and deregulated power structure.
Ibrahim Babangida

Informed by our sad experience of history, we require nothing short of a foundation for lasting democracy.
Ibrahim Babangida

Our choice of a reform framework dictated that we looked at the fundamental assumptions that had driven Nigeria’s economy, society and policy hitherto and to seek ways of either abandoning or transcending those assumptions and their supporting institutions.
Ibrahim Babangida

The return of democracy in our land has indeed thrown the problems of development into bolder relief.
Ibrahim Babangida

A society that does not correctly interpret and appreciate its past cannot understand its present fortunes and adversities and can be caught unawares in a fast changing world.
Ibrahim Babangida

Democracy opens new vistas and opportunities. We should use the opportunities it offers to correct past mistakes not to blunder anew.
Ibrahim Babangida