NEWS EXTRA: Women don’t like my face, says IBB

Former Military President Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) has said women do not like his face. He said this during an interview with ARISE TV at his Hilltop Residence in Minna, Niger State, on Friday. IBB: There would have been coup if June 12 election wasn’t annulled Attempts to stifle the media won’t work – IBB In […]

Former Military President Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) has said women do not like his face.

He said this during an interview with ARISE TV at his Hilltop Residence in Minna, Niger State, on Friday.

• IBB: There would have been coup if June 12 election wasn’t annulled
• Attempts to stifle the media won’t work – IBB

In the interview, the elder statesman spoke on a quite a number of issues, ranging from the economy to politics, security and the state of the nation.

When the topic moved to the issue of Maryam, his delectable wife, the retired General’s face beamed with smiles.

Asked why he did not remarry after the death of Maryam in 2009, Babangida jocularly said, “‘’They don’t like my face; the women.”

He quickly added in a more serious manner, “I think it’s not easy, that is just the way it is.”

He also went down memory lane on his relationship with the former First Lady, with whom he had four children.

”In 1969 (during the Civil War), I was wounded in Ozokuli in Abia. I was lucky I got to Lagos, I was flown on that same day which is very unusual but God was kind.

“General Gown got married around that period, April/May and he was my Commander-in-Chief. I was very impressed with how the marriage went and I said to myself then, because I was on a hospital bed.

I said ‘I could have been dead and I wouldn’t be able to be a married man like my Commander-in-Chief at the time. So, I made up my mind to get married the moment I get out of the hospital bed, and God was kind I got well and came back so getting married become my first priority.”

He said his wife to be at the time and her family members, accepted him.

“I knew her, I was very frequent in their house and her brothers and cousins were very friendly with me and when I asked (for her hand in marriage), there was no opposition whatsoever. Few months later, we got married.”