RE: The Nigerian Military and new strategic orientations (This was C.Agu's response to an article published on Business Day Newspaper of November, 14, 2012)

I read Dr Onyebuchi Onyegbule’s article on the above subject published in Businessday of 2^nd November, 2012.

In my opinion , let us take cognizance of the fact that today’s soldiers have gone beyond just protecting us from external aggression – fighting external enemies.

Some of them  graduated from Defense Academy, otherwise known as military university.  They  also ran post graduate programmes which qualified  them as masters degree holders after completion of the programmes.  We cannot say that people on this status lack totally, in knowledge to pilot the affairs of the nation.  Some of them are Chartered Accountants, Administrators and members of other professional bodies.

I am yet to see the provision in the Nigerian Constitution which states that retired or military men cannot resign to become politicians.  Like you said, they should be commended for their smartness, if I may add, to become successful in politics or other human endeavours.

The military guys are human beings.  They have the right to aspire, not just in the army, also in other human activities of life like their fellow compatriots.

We should not forget that it was the inability of the core civilian politicians to control themselves that made them to have the test of politics, which they enjoyed and refused to handover to them for a very long period of time in Nigeria.  Can I say that it is not their fault?

They have contributed immensely in making one Nigeria possible. I make bold to say that without them, there  would be nothing like Nigeria we claim to be our country today.They have also achieved some things which have impacted positively on the lives of Nigerians as governors and heads of state.

Establishing a complementary non-military professional organization is a good idea in an ideal situation.  It is not in our character.  We are not mature for that.  Education is yet to be spread and embraced to take us to that level.

I am sorry to say that we are yet to understand the language of civility.  What we understand very well is the language of force.  Call it militancy, belligerency or punishment.  That is why we apply it if we want a result.

You pointed out a very vital factor in our socio-political environment.  It is no other thing than the five or eight letter words called “faith” and  “religion” respectively.

Permit me to posit that faith (religion) gives the country the greatest headache on a daily basis  recently.  It has tarnished the image of this country.  It gives the country the most unquantifiable embarrassment in the comity of nations considering the population, the continent and the core black race she belongs. It has almost messed up the economy of the country.  Many people have been sent to their untimely graves.  People have been forced to relocate over night against their will. At times, you will be surprised when the national dailies carry the news of the suspects behind the demonic /man’s inhumanity to man. Hey! Where are we heading  to.

It takes the special grace of God for a Nigerian to obey the Nigerian Constitution on an occasion where the Supreme Law of the land and Religious Law clashes. I mean  most Nigerians will allow the later to prevail  in a circumstance that presents the two phenomena on choice pedestal.   Religion can kill  “the soft army” Dr Onygbule explained in his write-up easier than “the hard army”.  Ethnicity is another factor.  But while ethnicity can beat religion in some parts of the country, the later is supreme in some parts, even, much more than the constitution.

I think softening the hard by giving the soft some military training can change the military mentality that access to arsenal or gun is might for the peace and progress of Nigeria.  May I also suggest that setting up an institute for military training for civilians alone or setting aside a college in a military university which will avail civilians the military knowledge will jettison the all-powerful mentality the soldiers have.  Let our action depict one nation, one brotherhood not by pronouncement.

Chiemela N. Agu

Chimrose Educational Consultancy and General Services

Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island

Lagos, Nigeria.

Chibagalia@gmail.com ,  GSM: 08035733017