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A thread on living through Abacha’s (replace with Nigeria’s 90s) as a kid. For those who have praised this man for being a great leader.
I was 10 when Abacha assumed power via a coup. I still remember where I was and what I was doing. That day he DISSOLVED everything. That surely marked the beginning of a his reign of terror, killings and five years of darkness and fear.
You’d get dressed for school, arrive at the bus stop and the next thing people are burning tyres on highway. That’s it for that week. No school. Sometimes you are already in school before the protests break out. Parents have to figure out how to get their kids home.
@tundeleye share this image yesterday. It gave me chills. Imagine families across the country having to cook with this because Kerosene was a luxury. People were using sawdust as fuel for cooking. At first you could get it from sawmills then it later became a business. 
From economic woes to the various killings of everyone that spoke against him. Most of your political MCMs escaped Abacha’s Junta through Cotonou/Idiroko, some dressed as women. (Sadly, they are in power today and have figured out a way to oppress the people as well).
They say don’t “Speak ill of the dead”. Well, I don’t know if Abacha qualifies as one of the dead they were taking about. Man was evil personified.
I remember the day Abacha died. Again, I remember where I was and what I was doing that Monday evening. The entire country went into celebration as though Nigeria had won the World Cup. How evil could anyone be for the entire nation to celebrate your demise that much.
We have people coming on the TL saying Abacha was a hero. Tell that to Ken Saro-Wiwa’s family, The Abiola or Alex Ibru who narrowly escape Abacha’s death squad. That man was the face of evil. Feared by all and feared no one.
He was a tyrant, a killer and a thief. One of the worst things to have ever happened to Nigeria as a country. QED
Shared.
