(Written late 2014 under President Goodluck Jonathan)
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
One of the speeches I love most of Owelle Rochas Okorocha is one where, as governor of Imo State, he sounded and I hope you would all feel the impulse of that speech the way I am going to present it here, “My PEEEOPLE! MY PEEEOPLE!!. MY PEEEOPLE! MY PEEEOPLE!!. MY PEEEOPLE! MY PEEEOPLE!!”
My good people of Nigeria, and I am not trying to speak like the President that is the father of all Nigerians but as fellow citizen only moved by the passion for unity, peace, development of Nigerian people and good living system accessible to the citizenry, I make this call today that we should all rally round our military.
The news about our soldiers running into Cameroon for cover under the maneuvering tactics is not interesting. It should make us sad all the times. It is like that because we have collectively failed in our roles to give to the Institution of Military the necessary civilian-military cooperation that is required of us. Many Nigerians see the soldiers as coming from and living in the moon. They see the military as dreaded set of human beings. Yes. They must be dreaded. Call it fear. But the best phrase I can give to that is “be respected”. People who stake their lives to a security course that we may live in peace as a united nation-state and nation-people deserve our respect. People who fought the Civil War to keep Nigeria together should be held in high esteem from the lowest rank/last corporal to the peak of the ranks.
We have had many cases of unknown soldiers. Many civilian Nigerians thought that because they had successfully demystified the institution of the police that what was next was to tamper with the ‘speciality’ that stands the military out as the main backbone of the nation. Therefore, why people should not scratch the nose-hole with snake-teeth, those who attempted the soldiers that way did find out and so the issue of unknown soldiers. (Cheers). That is by the way. I always disagreed with people who say the worst civillian regime is better than the best of military regimes and I stand by that disagreement. The worst of military regimes is better than the best of civillian regimes.
Rather than seeing my strong view from the standpoint of anti-democratic process, our political class should just be motivated by the critical point I have made to do things right. Conduct elections like normal human beings devoid of ballot box snatching and give unto the people what they deserve to live comfortable as proper human beings and citizens of the Nigerian society. Not the situation whereby you, as President or Governor, would tar a one kilometre road infrastructure and expect the people to come and celebrate you rolling out drums for you to commission it. NO!
And unfortunately because many of those people do not even know that having paid their taxes it is your duty as President or Governor to work with the taxes and play your own part and so they run on top of one another celebrating you: “Oh, he must come back one thousand times! It is either him the second term or the society will collapse” and so on and so forth. This is the typical society ill that many of the civillian administrations I have witnessed since I grew up to differentiate between white-and-black-thread as citizen of Nigeria are made of, which turned me to ardent critic that I am today of our systemic operations of Nigeria. And until Nigerian political class change for better, I will continue to place the military on top of that aspect of national administration.
Even in a normal society where civillian administrations work as they should, the military is never played down. They should be well equipped, properly kitted and greatly funded. And again we in the society at large should manage well our information about the operations of the soldiers and supply them tips available to us in order to do their jobs effectively (not as wicked informants who because of the links they have with security people would misinform the security people about people they do not like but supply information to the military based on facts in the collective interest of the nation). Also the top bras and soldiers of the military too should at all times stand clear of things which would make certain religious and ethnic people cry foul of their actions and inactions. This is the only way we can win any war whether caused by any religious bigotism, ethnic jingoism or political machination. War is detestable not only to the civillians. It is also not good for even the military because we that have people among them either as families or friends don’t like the sad story of how soldiers get killed at wars (whether on Boko Haram or Liberian rebels).
I will continue, therefore, to solidarise with the only military institution that we have: Army, Air Force and Navy because, once the military of any nation collapses, the nation truly is extincted. Let us join hands with our military and support them, that Nigeria may move up again!
Are you ready for this?
