Have you heard the news that the Nigerian military, the country’s
trained professional force is daily being routed by a ragtag band of
terrorists? Have you heard the news that our so called soldiers who
swore to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria flee from ill
trained, ill equipped band of murderous terrorists “Boko Haram”,
abandoning their weaponry?
trained professional force is daily being routed by a ragtag band of
terrorists? Have you heard the news that our so called soldiers who
swore to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria flee from ill
trained, ill equipped band of murderous terrorists “Boko Haram”,
abandoning their weaponry?
Well that’s the news. The entire military institution has continued to
embarrass itself in the eyes of the whole world. Our soldiers can no
longer fight; they have lost the inclination to fight. They have
reversed the military code of conduct- ‘‘obey before complaint.’’ The
new order is ‘‘complaints before obey’’. Our military has come to
symbolise all that is wrong with our dear country.
embarrass itself in the eyes of the whole world. Our soldiers can no
longer fight; they have lost the inclination to fight. They have
reversed the military code of conduct- ‘‘obey before complaint.’’ The
new order is ‘‘complaints before obey’’. Our military has come to
symbolise all that is wrong with our dear country.
They complain all the time of being poorly armed and paid. Well, that
used to make sense a few months ago, but not anymore. The army we now
have flee at the sound of gun shots with their tails in-between their
legs like scared dogs fleeing danger. Oh! They have a phrase for it
now, ‘‘tactical manoeuvre’’, a dignified phase to camouflage their
shame.
used to make sense a few months ago, but not anymore. The army we now
have flee at the sound of gun shots with their tails in-between their
legs like scared dogs fleeing danger. Oh! They have a phrase for it
now, ‘‘tactical manoeuvre’’, a dignified phase to camouflage their
shame.
If they are not manoeuvering into Cameroon, they would be manoeuvering
into Chad or Niger Republic. Who are our soldiers’ manoeuvering from?
Rag tag Boko Haram terrorists?
into Chad or Niger Republic. Who are our soldiers’ manoeuvering from?
Rag tag Boko Haram terrorists?
With the billions of naira spent on the military so far, it is amazing
that there is nothing to show for it. Rather, what we have been given in
return is a military that is more or less reduced to Boys Scouts, who
were only trained to shoot catapult. As if this is not bad enough, it
appears they were trained to aim and miss. I remember something else,
they were also trained to beat harmless innocent civilians on the road,
maintain security at weddings, parties and burial ceremonies. Someone
just whispered to me that they are trained masters of oil theft and
bunkering!
that there is nothing to show for it. Rather, what we have been given in
return is a military that is more or less reduced to Boys Scouts, who
were only trained to shoot catapult. As if this is not bad enough, it
appears they were trained to aim and miss. I remember something else,
they were also trained to beat harmless innocent civilians on the road,
maintain security at weddings, parties and burial ceremonies. Someone
just whispered to me that they are trained masters of oil theft and
bunkering!
Little wonder that they now own choice properties all over the country
and billions of dollars in cash in secured bank accounts. This is the
tragedy that has befallen our dear beloved fatherland. How did Nigeria
get here?
Now compare our fleeing soldiers to this American soldier. A Brigadier
General deployed to Liberia to help fight the dreaded Ebola virus. He
was asked by a CNN reporter whether he was optimistic about the mission
he and his fellow soldiers were sent to Liberia to accomplish - which
was to stop Ebola in its tracks since they were soldiers trained to
fight wars and not diseases like Ebola.
and billions of dollars in cash in secured bank accounts. This is the
tragedy that has befallen our dear beloved fatherland. How did Nigeria
get here?
Now compare our fleeing soldiers to this American soldier. A Brigadier
General deployed to Liberia to help fight the dreaded Ebola virus. He
was asked by a CNN reporter whether he was optimistic about the mission
he and his fellow soldiers were sent to Liberia to accomplish - which
was to stop Ebola in its tracks since they were soldiers trained to
fight wars and not diseases like Ebola.
The General chuckled and confidently responded, “We in the military
have extraordinary capabilities that the civil society does not have;
we are trained to face danger. While others run away from the sound of
gunshots, we run towards it. We are trained to confront threats,
wherever and however. Having said that, Ebola has become a threat to our
(US) national security, we are optimistic that this threat would be put
out. Yes, we are soldiers trained to fight wars, Ebola is now like a
gunshot, and we are running towards it and we will neutralise it”.
have extraordinary capabilities that the civil society does not have;
we are trained to face danger. While others run away from the sound of
gunshots, we run towards it. We are trained to confront threats,
wherever and however. Having said that, Ebola has become a threat to our
(US) national security, we are optimistic that this threat would be put
out. Yes, we are soldiers trained to fight wars, Ebola is now like a
gunshot, and we are running towards it and we will neutralise it”.
This is an American General talking. He was brimming with confidence
about the mission their commander-in-chief, President Barack Obama had
sent them, which was to contain the deadly infectious disease, a mission
that was ordinarily away from their primary training – which is to
fight wars and defend America. Chill ran through my spines, goose bumps
sprouted all over my body as I watched and listened to him. That is a
soldier’s soldier talking. But in Nigeria our soldiers flee at the sound
of gunshots. They flee into bushes alongside fleeing civilians and beg
to be lapped just to escape from a few ragtag terrorists.
about the mission their commander-in-chief, President Barack Obama had
sent them, which was to contain the deadly infectious disease, a mission
that was ordinarily away from their primary training – which is to
fight wars and defend America. Chill ran through my spines, goose bumps
sprouted all over my body as I watched and listened to him. That is a
soldier’s soldier talking. But in Nigeria our soldiers flee at the sound
of gunshots. They flee into bushes alongside fleeing civilians and beg
to be lapped just to escape from a few ragtag terrorists.
Over two decades ago, Saliu Ibrahim, a former Chief of Army Staff under
Ibrahim Babangida’s regime stated that the Nigerian army had been an
army of anything goes. It was a sobering assessment then which only a
few people took notice. For those who did not understand what he meant
then, the Nigerian military of today is your answer. Men and women who
flee at the sound of gunshots, men and women who abandon civilians to
their fate in the face of danger, a military institution so broken that
the senior officers are among the multi billionaires in our country
today. National pride has never been this wounded, more so by an
institution whose primary and constitutional duty is to defend the
fatherland from any perceivable threat.
How do you explain a situation where some soldiers abandon their
armoured tanks and sophisticated weapons, just on hearing ‘‘Boko Haram
is coming’’?
Ibrahim Babangida’s regime stated that the Nigerian army had been an
army of anything goes. It was a sobering assessment then which only a
few people took notice. For those who did not understand what he meant
then, the Nigerian military of today is your answer. Men and women who
flee at the sound of gunshots, men and women who abandon civilians to
their fate in the face of danger, a military institution so broken that
the senior officers are among the multi billionaires in our country
today. National pride has never been this wounded, more so by an
institution whose primary and constitutional duty is to defend the
fatherland from any perceivable threat.
How do you explain a situation where some soldiers abandon their
armoured tanks and sophisticated weapons, just on hearing ‘‘Boko Haram
is coming’’?
They run away leaving the armoury like a gift to the terrorists. The
terrorists take up these arms and begin to use them to advance their
deadly campaign of terror, burning houses, killing innocent people,
kidnapping and raping women and young girls that our soldiers were
supposed to protect. What an embarrassment! How can Nigeria even raise
its head in the community of nations, how can the country even claim to
have a standing army in this moment of national security embarrassment,
and need that is so urgent? Some people have risen to the rescue to
redeem what is left of the pride of the nation brought down by
unpatriotic and satanic leadership. Local hunters have suddenly become
the lightening rod for a new hope to redeem the fatherland. They have
risen to the occasion to defend their communities and it is yielding
results.
terrorists take up these arms and begin to use them to advance their
deadly campaign of terror, burning houses, killing innocent people,
kidnapping and raping women and young girls that our soldiers were
supposed to protect. What an embarrassment! How can Nigeria even raise
its head in the community of nations, how can the country even claim to
have a standing army in this moment of national security embarrassment,
and need that is so urgent? Some people have risen to the rescue to
redeem what is left of the pride of the nation brought down by
unpatriotic and satanic leadership. Local hunters have suddenly become
the lightening rod for a new hope to redeem the fatherland. They have
risen to the occasion to defend their communities and it is yielding
results.
They were able to reclaim the headquarters of Mahia local government of Adamawa State occupied by the terrorists killing 80.
One of the hunters, who spoke to THISDAY in Yola, said the capture of
Mahia town on Monday by terrorists motivated the local hunters in the
town to mobilise other hunters in neighbouring communities to team up
against the terrorists in order to recapture the town.
The hunter also said it was the military that prevented them from
dislodging the terrorists because “they are not constituted security
forces and could not be trusted with such a mission.” He appealed to the
military authorities to screen them and give the go ahead to take on
the Boko Haram terrorists, expressing confidence that they have the
capacity to dislodge the terrorists from several communities.
One of the hunters, who spoke to THISDAY in Yola, said the capture of
Mahia town on Monday by terrorists motivated the local hunters in the
town to mobilise other hunters in neighbouring communities to team up
against the terrorists in order to recapture the town.
The hunter also said it was the military that prevented them from
dislodging the terrorists because “they are not constituted security
forces and could not be trusted with such a mission.” He appealed to the
military authorities to screen them and give the go ahead to take on
the Boko Haram terrorists, expressing confidence that they have the
capacity to dislodge the terrorists from several communities.
“If the military can authorise us and provide back up, we will wipe out
the terrorists because we know their hideouts and if it is
juju(voodoo), we also have it and can use that to identify them. “Boko
Haram terrorists fear us because they know what we can do, let the
military leave us with Boko Haram and see what is going to happen. We
took advantage of the fact that the soldiers had fled the area and we
used the opportunity to kill them and chased others out of Mahia,” he
said.
the terrorists because we know their hideouts and if it is
juju(voodoo), we also have it and can use that to identify them. “Boko
Haram terrorists fear us because they know what we can do, let the
military leave us with Boko Haram and see what is going to happen. We
took advantage of the fact that the soldiers had fled the area and we
used the opportunity to kill them and chased others out of Mahia,” he
said.
Providing further insight into how the hunters drove away the
terrorists, he said he and his colleagues ambushed the terrorists who
were on their way to Mahia from Mubi and killed about 80 and chased out
the few left. After successfully routing the terrorists from Maiha, the
hunters repeated the feat in Mubi, liberating the town from the vice
grip of the terrorists. The military was reduced to a nominal role of
watching from behind. What a shame! Where is the courage of our
soldiers? What has happened to all the years of training our soldiers
received? What manner of cowardice is this!?
terrorists, he said he and his colleagues ambushed the terrorists who
were on their way to Mahia from Mubi and killed about 80 and chased out
the few left. After successfully routing the terrorists from Maiha, the
hunters repeated the feat in Mubi, liberating the town from the vice
grip of the terrorists. The military was reduced to a nominal role of
watching from behind. What a shame! Where is the courage of our
soldiers? What has happened to all the years of training our soldiers
received? What manner of cowardice is this!?
Why is the campaign against these terrorist being prosecuted in fits
and starts and in such uninspiring manner? Why are the terrorists
dictating the pace of the fight? Why is our military reactive and not
proactive? It is only when Boko Haram strikes or seizes a town that our
soldiers respond. Is this how to fight a war that threatens the very
survive of our country? Why can’t our military lead a sustained
offensive with the sole aim of defeating the terrorists once and for
all? The whole manner of prosecuting the war speaks volumes about our
military high command.
and starts and in such uninspiring manner? Why are the terrorists
dictating the pace of the fight? Why is our military reactive and not
proactive? It is only when Boko Haram strikes or seizes a town that our
soldiers respond. Is this how to fight a war that threatens the very
survive of our country? Why can’t our military lead a sustained
offensive with the sole aim of defeating the terrorists once and for
all? The whole manner of prosecuting the war speaks volumes about our
military high command.
I am not a soldier but clearly something is wrong here. The unfortunate
thing is that the lives of innocent people are lost as a result of the
incompetence of our military commanders. Something has to be done
quickly.
There is a clear lack of thinking by those entrusted with the security
of the nation. How else does one explain the disorganised prosecution
of the war which has allowed the terrorists to put our military on the
back foot all the time? Initially, it was easy to live in denial that
military’s failure to secure the homeland and live up to its
constitutional responsibility was not so much a failure, but isolated
setbacks.
thing is that the lives of innocent people are lost as a result of the
incompetence of our military commanders. Something has to be done
quickly.
There is a clear lack of thinking by those entrusted with the security
of the nation. How else does one explain the disorganised prosecution
of the war which has allowed the terrorists to put our military on the
back foot all the time? Initially, it was easy to live in denial that
military’s failure to secure the homeland and live up to its
constitutional responsibility was not so much a failure, but isolated
setbacks.
But to continue to believe this, is to continue to wallow in delusion
and stupidity. And What is the definition of stupid? Knowing the truth,
seeing the truth but still believing the lies. The truth here, is our
military can’t fight. Local community hunters have fared better in
confrontation with the terrorists than our soldiers. It’s a painful
reality I am still struggling to come to terms with.
and stupidity. And What is the definition of stupid? Knowing the truth,
seeing the truth but still believing the lies. The truth here, is our
military can’t fight. Local community hunters have fared better in
confrontation with the terrorists than our soldiers. It’s a painful
reality I am still struggling to come to terms with.
Re: Seven Years of Fashola My Take Away
By Sheriff Koko
Hitherto, I have refrained from joining issues with the Lagos State
Government, because I have come to realize that they have become victims
of their own spell binding spin. The Government is suffering from
arrogance of ignorance (They do not know, that they do not know as much
as they do not know.) However, I was prompted to do this rejoinder
because of Mr. Shaka Momodu’s reference to the “Oshodi inanity” as a
great achievement. In the circumstance I feel obliged to confront this
received opinion and point out a reasonable option to the inappropriate
action, which on the surface may seem so eminently sensible. Obviously,
the symptom (bedlam) may have been suppressed but the ailment (lack of
planning) has not been cured.
Government, because I have come to realize that they have become victims
of their own spell binding spin. The Government is suffering from
arrogance of ignorance (They do not know, that they do not know as much
as they do not know.) However, I was prompted to do this rejoinder
because of Mr. Shaka Momodu’s reference to the “Oshodi inanity” as a
great achievement. In the circumstance I feel obliged to confront this
received opinion and point out a reasonable option to the inappropriate
action, which on the surface may seem so eminently sensible. Obviously,
the symptom (bedlam) may have been suppressed but the ailment (lack of
planning) has not been cured.
I spent my first year in the Secondary School at Ikeja Grammar School.
Oshodi, so I am eminently qualified to write about “Oshodi” because I
have been familiar with the terrain since 1969 to date. (Incidentally my
wife is nee Oshodi) Oshodi is one of the towns that grew out of
response to railway Stations like Sogunle, Agege, and Yaba. But the
dramatic transformation was occasioned by the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway
which turned Oshodi to the Major Transport Hub and takes the shine off
Yaba. It is to be noted that Oshodi would have been more chaotic, had
the railways thrived. It was in response to this transition to a major
hub in the mid 1970’s that Oshodi became a major commercial centre. The
thinking Nigerians recognized the need to take economic advantage of the
footfalls at Oshodi, (the huge volume of commuters seen as potential
shoppers) the budding entrepreneurs decided to convert tenement Houses
to shops. But, the Government did not think of how it could review the
land use plan to meet the exigency of the changing scenario; i.e to
undertake a makeover with a view to tapping the huge retailing mine.
Oshodi, so I am eminently qualified to write about “Oshodi” because I
have been familiar with the terrain since 1969 to date. (Incidentally my
wife is nee Oshodi) Oshodi is one of the towns that grew out of
response to railway Stations like Sogunle, Agege, and Yaba. But the
dramatic transformation was occasioned by the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway
which turned Oshodi to the Major Transport Hub and takes the shine off
Yaba. It is to be noted that Oshodi would have been more chaotic, had
the railways thrived. It was in response to this transition to a major
hub in the mid 1970’s that Oshodi became a major commercial centre. The
thinking Nigerians recognized the need to take economic advantage of the
footfalls at Oshodi, (the huge volume of commuters seen as potential
shoppers) the budding entrepreneurs decided to convert tenement Houses
to shops. But, the Government did not think of how it could review the
land use plan to meet the exigency of the changing scenario; i.e to
undertake a makeover with a view to tapping the huge retailing mine.
In the 1960’s and 1970’s Government had bus hubs at Cappa, Yaba, Race -
Course and Keffi to cater for the limited buses we had then and there
were shops and kiosks to meet the refreshment needs of commuters. But,
in the 2000’s with hundreds of buses, there are no purpose
built/designed terminals. Or is there any adequate bus terminus in
metropolitan Lagos? A thinking government should have been proactive
enough to redesign the bus-stops at Ogba, Ajah, Mile 2, Iyana- Ipaja,
Iyana- Iba and Agric. in Ikorodu into proper and adequate terminals
Course and Keffi to cater for the limited buses we had then and there
were shops and kiosks to meet the refreshment needs of commuters. But,
in the 2000’s with hundreds of buses, there are no purpose
built/designed terminals. Or is there any adequate bus terminus in
metropolitan Lagos? A thinking government should have been proactive
enough to redesign the bus-stops at Ogba, Ajah, Mile 2, Iyana- Ipaja,
Iyana- Iba and Agric. in Ikorodu into proper and adequate terminals
The chaos in Oshodi was a manifestation of Government low thinking or
no thinking. Government should have embarked on a complete makeover of
Oshodi into the Central Transport HUB in Lagos State because of the
connectivity of Roads; Railways and nearness to the airports. More
importantly being the busiest bus INTERCHANGE receiving buses from the
four axis of Lagos. Examples of what OSHODI ought to be as it obtains in
thinking jurisdictions, are New York’s Grand Central Terminal;
Singapore’s Dhoby Ghaut Station; Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station; London’s
Clapham junction or Berlin’s Hauptanhof.
no thinking. Government should have embarked on a complete makeover of
Oshodi into the Central Transport HUB in Lagos State because of the
connectivity of Roads; Railways and nearness to the airports. More
importantly being the busiest bus INTERCHANGE receiving buses from the
four axis of Lagos. Examples of what OSHODI ought to be as it obtains in
thinking jurisdictions, are New York’s Grand Central Terminal;
Singapore’s Dhoby Ghaut Station; Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station; London’s
Clapham junction or Berlin’s Hauptanhof.
The lame excuse for not doing the right thing would have been to say
that the area had been developed, but that would be lame excuse because
shops were demolished for the current landscaping. The adjourning land
was the defunct Lagos Municipal Transport Service land and would have
fit the bill of integral part of the Terminal perfectly. Moreover, the
privately held land on the other side of the railway line could be
acquired under Eminent Domain law or more creatively by engaging the
landowners in mutually benefiting commercial proposals, which apparently
the current developers must have undertaken. Funding could not have
been an issue because it is a viable proposition on its own and by
itself, as evidenced by the activities of private developers at the
Bolade end and the Ikeja Cantonment.
Thus, the displacement at Oshodi should have been a creative relocationthat the area had been developed, but that would be lame excuse because
shops were demolished for the current landscaping. The adjourning land
was the defunct Lagos Municipal Transport Service land and would have
fit the bill of integral part of the Terminal perfectly. Moreover, the
privately held land on the other side of the railway line could be
acquired under Eminent Domain law or more creatively by engaging the
landowners in mutually benefiting commercial proposals, which apparently
the current developers must have undertaken. Funding could not have
been an issue because it is a viable proposition on its own and by
itself, as evidenced by the activities of private developers at the
Bolade end and the Ikeja Cantonment.
rather than the current misplaced dispersal. The primary responsibility
of a leader is to identify or better still anticipate the basic needs
of the society and meet the needs. At the appropriate time we shall ask
the citizens of Lagos whether the critical issues/ challenges/needs
staring at them have been addressed in the past 16 years. The Lagos
state Government has been the beneficiary of the citizens low
expectations from the Government. Secondly, the law of relativity must
have influenced the judgment of Lagos citizens, i.e. when people compare
the proceeding 8 years of locust with the 7 years of Fashola they feel
better and assume Government is performing. However, if we compare the
last 7 years to the 4 years of Jakande’s VISIONARY leadership we cannot
say Fashola is performing. But for me, the international norm is the
irreducible minimum benchmark to measure performance. As Lagbaja asked
in one of his songs Oyinbo get 2 heads?
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