Posted by By Sun News Publishing on
Osun State governor and a retired Brigadier-General, Olagunsoye Oyinlola says military ethics was dealt deadly blows by the recent utterances of former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Victor Malu.
Osun State governor and a retired Brigadier-General, Olagunsoye Oyinlola says military ethics was dealt deadly blows by the recent utterances of former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Victor Malu.
And to prove that he was nurtured in the best military traditions, Malu needs to apologise to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Gov Oyinlola says.
Gen Malu had raised no small dust in the past few weeks when he allegedly regretted not overthrowing the Obasanjo regime while he was Army chief.
Speaking with Daily Sun in an interview in Osogbo, capital of Osun State, Oyinlola said Malu's utterances were not only a shock, 'they made me sad. I felt disappointed."
Saying every Chief of Army Staff is a role model, the governor said Malu could be sending wrong signals to those still in service, and therefore should seek audience with the President and apologise.
Gov Oyinlola's words, below:
'One thing I must say is that I felt disappointed at the comments of Gen Malu on Mr President. I felt disappointed because military ethics kind of forbid you as a junior to run down your superior, no matter the circumstance. The same ethics that saw him to the peak of his career, that made Mr President appoint him as Chief of Army Staff. He wasn't the best.
He was not the best, I repeat it. And I'm not too sure that if those who held political appointments were not retired, the lot would have fallen on him to become Chief of Army Staff. I say it emphatically. But if fate, destiny, made him to lead the army, the statement he made is explosive, inciting. And I don't expect it to come from such a responsible officer. And that's why I say it is sad.
'Having led the army, those still in service look up to you as a role model. For every Chief of Army Staff, you have a lot of followers, people who have adopted you as their role model. What message is he passing to those still in service? He was my superior, and we're very close, so I don't want to fall victim of the same thing he did. He has avenues to meet Mr President and air his feelings. What was his level when Obasanjo was head of state? And that is why I was so pleased when journalists accosted Gen. Babangida on the issue, and he said, he has avenues of discussing issues with Mr President. That is matured response.
'What I expect Gen Malu to do, if he's going to keep the pride of the military intact, if he wants to demonstrate that in or out of service, the military ethics is still in our blood, is to seek audience with Mr President, and where he needs to apologise, he tenders it. As a senior military man, Gen Obasanjo too should accept it, because that's what the ethics says too. And it ends there."
• Watch out for full interview next week