Major-General Ibrahim Babangida Leaving Armed Forces Ruling Council Meeting, Lagos, 1 September 1985

On 1 September 1985, Major-General Ibrahim Babangida, then aged 44, was photographed leaving a meeting of the Armed Forces Ruling Council in Lagos, shortly after seizing power as Nigeria’s new Head of State. The image, reported by The Sunday Telegraph, captures Babangida’s confident demeanor following the military coup that ousted General Muhammadu Buhari the previous week.

Babangida, formerly the Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, assumed leadership at a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s political history, inheriting a nation grappling with economic challenges and military governance. His ascendancy marked the beginning of a period of military rule characterized by policy reforms, economic restructuring, and complex political maneuvering, which would leave a lasting imprint on Nigeria’s governance landscape.

The photograph symbolizes both the transition of power within the Nigerian military elite and the public attention focused on the new leadership. Babangida’s confident appearance in the image reflected the assuredness with which he approached his role in navigating the country through political, social, and economic turbulence.

Date: 1 September 1985
Source: The Sunday Telegraph