Posted by By PHILIP NWOSU on
For the first time in the history of the force, serving and retiring officers of the Nigerian Army, laid down their arms to bid each other good bye It was a very emotional ceremony capable of making tears run down the cheeks of the officers. But like the soldiers they were, they held back their tears to shake each, saying, 'till we meet again."
For the first time in the history of the force, serving and retiring officers of the Nigerian Army, laid down their arms to bid each other good bye It was a very emotional ceremony capable of making tears run down the cheeks of the officers. But like the soldiers they were, they held back their tears to shake each, saying, 'till we meet again."
The event was a regimented dinner, which was put together by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Martin Luther Agwai to wish the 20 Major Generals and 18 Brigadier General, well as they disengaged from active military service.
The officers, Daily Sun gathered, had each put in over 35 years of active military service and were only last June, in line with the new regulations of the military, given notice of retirement.
The officers, the former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Major General Alexander Mshelbwela, the commandant of the Nigerian Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Major General Tanko Abdul, the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Major General M. C. Osahor, The former GOC of 1 Mechanised Division, Kaduna, Major General D. R. A. Ndefo; former Commandant of the Nigerian Army Education Corps, Major General T. W. T Gbor, former Commandant of Nigeria Army Medical Corps and Schools, Major General A. Adefolalu and former Chief of Training and Operations at the Defence Headquarters, Major General S. A. Adejumo.
Others include, Major General Gandhi Ziddon, who was the commander of the military Task Force at the disputed Bakassi Peninsula, the former Provost Marshal, Major General F.O. Iorshase, and the head of the Special Investigation Panel on the alleged coup attempt by Major Hamza-Al-Mustapha, Major General Peter Unuode.
Also prominent among the Brigadier Generals was George Emdin, who was last seen during the Ikeja ammunition bomb explosion as the Commander of the 9th Brigade. Others are Brigadier Generals C.S. Emekawe, I. Emejuru, A.I Etomi, J.O. Arogbofa, G. T. Pedro, C. O. Adebiyi and M. Gambo.
Included in the list of disengaging one star Generals were Brigadier General H.K. Oke, E.S. Ekhuda, M.A. Umar, and E. Mai. M.O. Ibrahim, Oki Walter, I. Akinyemi, I.A. Mohammed, P.M. Atere and J.K Ayanwale.
Addressing the officers who all attended the dinner with their spouses, General Agwai said it was with heavy heart and mixed feelings that he was hosting the dinner for the officers. 'I said this because Nigerian Army is losing the wealth of knowledge of the officers, experience, expertise and commitment over the years," he noted.
He gave indications to the effect that the officers could be called for military duties even though they have disengaged from the service of the Armed Forces, adding that the officers had assured him that they would be readily available when called upon.
'We are talking about transforming the army, we are talking about increasing our professionalisation of the army and we are talking about having an army that Nigerians would be proud of and I am sure that your contributions have seen the force to this stage of its development," he added.
Some of the retiring officers who spoke to Daily Sun expressed their gratitude to the hierarchy of the force, for putting together a befitting disengagement ceremony for them.
For instance, Major General Abdul said: 'I feel very fulfilled, certainly there is life after retirement, one would have to go back like a very good General and do a little appreciation and then you know what to do."