Armed forces celebration and remembrance day

Service to God and mankind is really the main reason for existence. To do this job very well, love for humanity is imperative. Jesus was so selfless and so loving of humanity that he left his heavenly throne to come down to earth to serve mankind. He didn’t own a house. He didn’t marry or raise a family. But he didn’t see all these as the greatest sacrifice for humanity. The act Jesus described as the greatest sacrifice is his offering his life voluntarily to save mankind. He said, “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends..” (John 15:13)

The members of the armed forces sacrifice their lives voluntarily, if need be, to protect others. This is the greatest demonstration of love and service to mankind. Whenever there’s danger lurking around the corner, other people run away from the danger, members of the armed forces run towards the danger, no matter the consequences to their personal safety, to protect others. They keep their two eyes open so that others can sleep with their two eyes closed. They dwell in bushes fighting terrorists, so that people can live in their cosy apartments in cities peacefully. They leave their families in lonely nights so that others can be in the warmth of their families year in year out. They don’t go on holidays during holidays so that citizens can enjoy their own holidays.

Nobody can understand the level of love it takes to give one’s life for others except in the utter belief that God will bountifully bless such brave souls in the world to come. For the love that Jesus displayed in giving his own life for others, God magnified his name on earth so much that at the mention of the name of Jesus every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord. So also some countries in the world. When I travelled to the United States of America (USA), I discovered that whenever any citizen is wearing the uniform of a member of the armed forces, he was allowed to fly first class no matter the class he paid for and the flight crew will not fail to thank them for their services to the nation. Most times whenever the incumbent President in America is ending his speech in any occasion, he remembers to pray to God to protect the troops. Are you surprised why America is the most powerful nation on earth? Are you surprised why America has the most viable economy in the world? The secret is that it has the most powerful military force in the world. A super power nation stands on a tripod of political stability, economic viability, and a strong military force. It’s obvious that the first two cannot thrive without the last one because when a nation becomes too rich without a strong military force, a rogue nation with a strong military force will invade the rich nation and cart away all their resources and even enslave them. Every discerning country must do whatever they can to ensure that they have a strong and highly motivated armed forces.

It was great news to hear that the Armed Forces Remembrance Day was renamed Armed  Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day. The reason is that in addition to remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend Nigeria, those who are alive should be celebrated. Nigeria armed forces, since the nation’s independence, has discharged themselves creditably well in the discharge of their duties both within and outside Nigeria. The reason Nigeria is still together today is because of our armed forces. Nigeria fought to bring peace in the Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, even in Burma. The armed forces have been drafted regularly to do police duties within Nigeria to fight terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, insurgents, unknown gunmen, and so on. Without them, these outlaws would have overrun this country.

The question is, has the nation reciprocated in kind to the onerous sacrifice made by these men in uniforms? We have seen how some retired veterans cry in the streets for their pensions which are not being paid them regularly. We have seen as the serving members of the force bemoan their meagre salary which cannot cater for their basic needs. One soldier was granted a pass to visit his family but he preferred to be in the bush because he couldn’t afford the exorbitant transport to go home. The families of fallen heroes always lament openly for lack of care after the demise of their breadwinners. The barracks where these officers live most times are ill taken care of with dilapidated houses with leaking roofs being their abodes. Their training schools look like dungeons fit for reptiles at times. There’s no health care arrangement to cater for their special needs when mortal injuries arise from dangerous operations they embark on at times. They are not well equipped to face radically equipped terrorist organisations. They are not many on ground to face the numerous uncountable and ubiquitous criminals everywhere. With these situations staring us in the face, the government must wake up to address these challenges.

It’s pertinent to note that though Nigeria would not have remained one if not for the sacrifice of these men in uniform because of their brave fighting during the Nigeria civil war, one has to recognise that it was still their actions and inactions that led to the war in the first place. The military coup of January 1966 which killed some prominent civilian and military leaders in Nigeria was the beginning of the instability in the Nigerian polity. The counter coup of July 1966, which killed many people including high ranking military officers, was the beginning of the civil war. The pogrom of certain ethnic nationality in some parts of the country led “to your tent O Nigeria” kind of a situation which bred mutual suspicion among the ethnic nationalities and eventually led to the civil war.

The military coup of 1975 which ousted General Gowon destroyed the mutual trust among the military members of the armed forces from the North. The military coup of 1976 led to the killing of the Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, and led to the near wipe out of the military officers from Benue and Plateau who were believed to be the masterminds of the coup that claimed Murtala’s life. The execution of General Mamman Vatsa by the government of General Ibrahim Babangida was blamed by IBB on a coup plot by Vatsa. The attempted coup of 1990 by Major Gideon Orka led to the killing of many soldiers guarding the then Head of State, General IBB, and led to the execution of Orka and his fellow plotters.

The regime of General Sani Abacha saw the sacking of many able-bodied members of the armed forces and even led to the setting up of some high ranking officers of the armed forces led by General Oladipo Diya, Abacha’s Deputy, in an attempted coup against Sani Abacha. They were to be executed but for the sudden death of General Sani Abacha. Before the set up of Diya & co in a coup plot against Abacha, General Olusegun Obasanjo, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and a number of other serving military officers were believed to have been framed up in a coup by General Abacha. Yar’Adua died in prison. Obasanjo survived by a hair’s breath.

This rendition is to remind our men in uniform that they have no place in usurping the powers of government. Indeed military regimes are worse on the military personnel themselves than ordinary Nigerians. They should avoid staging coups in Nigeria and support genuine efforts at ensuring the survival of democracy. Democracy is the best system of government if it’s not subverted by anti democratic forces through rigging of elections that impose fraudulent leaders on the people. The duty of the armed forces is to assist the police in maintaining law and order during elections. They must participate in preventing rigging of elections and foisting on the people government they didn’t vote for. The members of the armed forces must realise that rigging of election is a civilian coup against the wish of the people, just like a military coup against an incumbent government. If the consequence of military coup is death of the coup plotters, the consequence of civilian coup is death of the coup plotters.

The military must understand that they suffer most during the regime of fraudulent leaders. They are not constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech like ordinary Nigerians. They are expected to be suffering and smiling. The only choice they have is to prevent the coming into existence of fraudulent leaders by using their military powers to prevent rigging of elections. If Nigeria is privileged to enjoy free, fair, credible elections for a period of 20 years, Nigeria will join the league of first world nations on earth because we are blessed with abundant human and material resources. What we lack is good leadership which can be cured by free, fair, credible elections. If the politicians understand that it’s the people who will decide their victory at the polls, they will cater for the security and welfare of the people including that of the military. If, however, the politicians believe that it is the godfathers, INEC and the judiciary that will give them power, they will amass stupendous wealth through corruption to settle the political vampires in order to get their support for victory at the polls. The money that would be used to equip and cater for the welfare of the military would be used to purchase votes, godfathers, INEC, and the judiciary. As we celebrate and remember our fallen heroes, let us work together to bring about a great Nigeria.