Contrary to the belief of many, the former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) has said he never had any connection with the Yorubas in South West region of Nigeria, saying some people thinks his parents might have migrated from the South West to the Northern Nigeria.
According to the former leader, his colleagues and superiors in the military often confused his surname Badamasi with the Yoruba name ‘Gbadamosi’ and so he decided to adopt his father’s first name ‘Babangida’ as his surname.
“I returned to Nigeria from India in January 1964 as 2nd Lt. Ibrahim Badamasi, with personal Army number N/438.
I was promptly deployed to the reconnaissance squadron (the ‘Turaki’ Squadron) First Brigade, Kaduna.
READ ALSO:
Although, the overall Commander of the First Brigade was Brigadier Samuel Adesujo Ademulegun, young officers hardly had contact with him.
I had Major Chris Anufuro, Major Hassan Katsina, and Major Okpo Isong as my immediate commanders.
These senior officers were very kind to me in their different ways.
However, before I settled down to work at the First Brigade, a particular incident led me to add ‘Babangida’ to my name.
During official engagements that led to my deployment to Kaduna, officers who confused the Yoruba name, ‘Gbadamosi,’ with my last name, ‘Badamasi,’ repeatedly asked me whether I was Yoruba.
That question had also come up a few years before, during my enlisting interview for the military.
Since that question persisted (and since I knew I wasn’t Yoruba!), I decided to take on my father’s other name as my last name.
And I remember joking about it then and saying: ‘Regardless of the name change, I am still my father’s son’! As happens with new and young entrants into the profession.”
