In 1987, Newswatch magazine released an unofficial report of the bureau, for its reward, it was proscribed for a few months lending credence to some of the criticisms of the regime, as taking Nigerian on a farcical democratic experiment.
The composition of the bureau could hardly be faulted as it included men and women of character and learning; it also served as an early move for Babangida to co-opt, cultivate and involve intellectuals in the elaborate Transition to civil rule Programme.
Edwin Madunagu, a prominent journalist of the liberal newspaper The Guardian, was dropped from the bureau for "extremist" and "uncooperative" views and attitudes.
The creation of several programmes maintained a steady income for many academics, even as the programs were rife with the corruption that marked Babangida's regime as exceptional.
Oyovbaire has also co-authored a book "Portrait of a New Nigeria Leader: Selected Speeches of IBB" (Tunji Olagunju and Sam Oyovabaire).
Rather it runs deep in his liberal and populist convictions and is based on a reasoned and well-thought out conceptualisation of the military role in African politics".
Jinadu, another Nigerian intellectual, appears blind to - as Williams would write - the "unprecedented and well-documented assault on human rights by the Babangida government".