Vunderkind
Social Member
Abacha's widow receiving the award on behalf of her husband
The Federal Government of Nigeria, yesterday, explained that although the late military dictator, General Sani Abacha’s regime was one of the most controversial in the history of the nation, he still deserved the centenary award.
The government stated this in a brief citation which was included in the awardees’ brochures, giving reasons why they deserved to be honored. The citations and reasons why they deserved the honors were read during the Centenary Honors Award night, held inside the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to the citation, the late General Abacha was a Nigerian soldier and former leader. The government noted that during Abacha’s time, unprecedented economic milestones were reached in Nigeria’s history.
The citation continued by mentioning that Abacha’s regime saw an increase in the nation’s foreign exchange reserves from $494 million in 1993 to $9.6 billion by mid-1997. It was Abacha’s regime, the citation said, that reduced the national debt from $36 billion in 1993 to $27 billion in 1997.
The Federal Government also stated that it was Abacha’s military power that stopped Ibrahim Babangida’s controversial privatization programs, reduced the rate of inflation from the 54% inherited from the previous regime to 8.5% between 1993 1nd 1998, and kept the nation’s primary commodity – oil – at an average of $9 per barrel.