[size=14pt]44 Years after Ironsi, Igbo named Army Chief[/size]
*Onovo removed as IG * SSS gets new DG
From Kunle Akogun and Yemi Akinsuyi in Abuja, 09.09.2010

Thursday, September 9, 2010

A new page in Nigeria's history was written yesterday as President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Major-General Onyeabo Azubike Ihejirika as the Chief of Army Staff. Ihejirika is the first Igbo to occupy the highly strategic military position since the end of the Civil War.



[img]http://odili.net/news/source/2010/sep/9/punch/images/pix201009092545732[1].jpg[/img]
New Chief of Army Staff, Major-General O.A. Ihejirika




The last time an officer from the South-east occupied the position was 44 years ago. The late Major-General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi was General Officer Commanding the Army (as Chief  of Army Staff was then known) before he became head of state following the failed coup led by Major Kaduna Nzeogwu.

Ihejirika, a former General Officer Commanding 83, Division, Lagos, replaces Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau.Ihejirika is now in a position to become the first four-star General of Igbo extraction in the history of the Nigerian Army.

President Jonathan dropped all the service chiefs as well as the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of State Security Service (SSS).

Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, former Chief of Air Staff, has been appointed the Chief of Defence Staff, replacing Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike.Rear Admiral O. S. Ibrahim, Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command replaces Admiral Ishaya Ibrahim as the Chief of Naval Staff while Air Vice Marshal M.D. Umar takes over from Petinrin as the Chief of Air Staff.

Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 9, Umuahia, Alhaji Hafiz Ringim, is the new Inspector General of Police. He takes over from Mr. Ogbonna Onovo.

Mr. Ita Ekpeyong, former SSS Director in Lagos, replaces Mr. Afakiriya Gadzama as the director general of the State Security Sservice (SSS).Ringim's elevation is expected to lead to the retirement of the six Deputy Inspector-Generals of Police (DIGs) who are all his seniors.

They are: Uba Ringim (Administration and Finance), Israel Ajao (Operations),  John Ahmadu (CID), Declan Uzorma (Works), Olusegun Efuntayo (Training), and Udom Ekpo Udom (Research and Planning).

In a six-paragraph statement, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ima Niboro, said the appointments, which take immediate effect, �are however subject to the confirmation of the National Assembly, in line with the provision of the armed forces act section 18, Cap A20, laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria�.

Niboro said Jonathan thanked the outgoing service chiefs, �whose tenure expired in August, for their loyalty and dedication to service. He particularly commended them for defending the Nigerian constitution at all times and for successful command of the armed forces during their tenure�.

Since the current democratic dispensation in 1999, no service chief has spent more than two years in office, with the exception of former army chief Gen. Martin Agwai, who spent over two years.

The tenures of the former chiefs were said to have lapsed last month.A Defence source told THISDAY yesterday: �This is the first time a democratic government is following laid-down rules in the appointment of service chiefs. In the past, their names were announced and they assumed office without recourse to the National Assembly.�

A Presidency source said the service chiefs had not been removed before now because the president believed there was no need.

�There were pressures on him to change the chiefs, but he insisted that he was on a joint ticket with the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and would not remove anybody except it was absolutely necessary. Their tenures have expired now so there is no issue with that,� he said.

Asked if the appointment of an Igbo as army chief would not be interpreted as a political move, he said: �The ethnic origin is of no significance to the president. We must accept that Nigeria belongs to us all. We must send the signals out clearly that there are no positions in the country that cannot be occupied by a particular person because of his or her ethnic origin.�

Significantly, there is no service chief from the South-south where the president comes from, but an insider said it does not matter �because the biggest position in the land is already occupied by a person from that geo-political zone�.

The removal of Onovo, THISDAY learnt, was not unconnected with the unchecked crime wave in the country, especially kidnapping.

His refusal to obey a court summons recently is also said to have irked the president who was said to have described the incident as an affront on the rule of law and an embarrassment to the government.

http://odili.net/news/source/2010/sep/9/220.html

Very Nice!

Whats the purpose of this article? . .Thrash!!!

Now Jonathan is showing his true igbo colors and lineage. 

Aloy+Emeka:

Now Jonathan is showing his true igbo colors and lineage. 

I have to admit, this did catch me off guard.

I bet ya, this army chief will be retired immediately after the presidential election. . . .

MetalGong4:

I bet ya, this army chief will be retired immediately after the presidential election. . . .

Stop being a pessimist my Igbo brother.

MetalGong4:

I bet ya, this army chief will be retired immediately after the presidential election. . . .

For what?. Is the army chief position reserved for only Northerners?. Northerners have held that position since 1979 until date and that is over 30 years. It is time for southerners to hold it.

EzeUche22:

Stop being a pessimist my Igbo brother. 

I hope you say the same if we ask for when a woman will become the army chief in Nigeria.

Aloy+Emeka:

I hope you say the same if we ask for when a woman will become the army chief in Nigeria.

I don't see that happening any time soon. No offense.

Not in my lifetime.

Will the appointment of an Igbo Army Chief reduce the number of kidnappings in the East ?

EzeUche22:

I don't see that happening any time soon. No offense.

Not in my lifetime.

hahahaha . .  So you dont want someone like FLGator, alias Ileke-Idi , to be your army chief . . .

OgidiBoy:

Will the appointment of an Igbo Army Chief reduce the number of kidnappings in the East ?

Why bring that up? We are talking about an appointment of an Igbo man in a high position and you bring that nonsense up.

Take that up with the Ibibio man who is in charge of the police now.

MetalGong4:

hahahaha . .  So you dont want someone like FLGator, alias Ileke-Idi , to be your army chief . . .

Rubbish! 

I would rip up my Nigerian passport if she was allowed to rule this nation.

Anyway, I am happy an Igbo man is in such a high position and you should be as well. 44 LONG YEARS! I know the North doesn't like this turn of events. Seem like the leadership of the military is firmly in the hands of Southerners.

EzeUche22:

Why bring that up? We are talking about an appointment of an Igbo man in a high position and you bring that nonsense up.

Take that up with the Ibibio man who is in charge of the police now.

My brother sorry for bringing it up, I'm always happy to see the prosperity of my Igbo brothers, but lets not sweep our problems under the rug and pretend we don't have a serious problem in Igbo land.

No big deal in my estimation.  
They are all agents of the occupiers of Biafraland.
Onovo was the first after many years, but look at how useless he was.   The problem is the cumbersome  and unworkable Nigeria state and not the appointees.

MetalGong4:

I bet ya, this army chief will be retired immediately after the presidential election. . . .

This is great.I think every Igbo feels atleast a little bit nigerian now.Once the 2nd bridge is built its a rap. Also, i believe if IBB becomes president the new Army chief will be removed in less than a year to give the north back dominant power.

An Ibibio man as IG now that's good. Hope he outperforms Onovo. An Igbo appointed too? Well good job. As long as we remain part of that entity we all deserve any position if not then what are doing in Nigeria?

udezue:

An Ibibio man as IG now that's good. Hope he outperforms Onovo. An Igbo appointed too? Well good job. As long as we remain part of that entity we all deserve any position if not then what are doing in Nigeria?

If I'm not mistaken, the Ibibio man Ekpeyong is the new director of the SSS, not the new IG.

The new IG is Hafeez Uba Ringim from the north.

He must beware of the Biafrans who will inadvertently turn him to the Biafran Army Chief. And when he is given the boot, will turn around to blame some phantom enemies of indibo.

election ploy, i guess the igbo vote is the contested one. if he steps out of line the real sources of power will cut him short.

still, its a nice gesture.

Aigbofa:

He must beware of the Biafrans who will inadvertently turn him to the Biafran Army Chief. And when he is given the boot, will turn around to blame some phantom enemies of indibo.

Biri ka anyi Biri

I hope the new COAS will now be bugged down with court summons by another idle inept judge

Aigbofa:

He must beware of the Biafrans who will inadvertently turn him to the Biafran Army Chief. And when he is given the boot, will turn around to blame some phantom enemies of indibo.

Provided he does not follow the path of Ironsi and Ojukwu. .lwkmd

Igbo kwenu!

jamace:

Igbo kwenu!

Aye!!!

Aloy+Emeka:

[size=14pt]44 Years after Ironsi, Igbo named Army Chief[/size]
�Onovo removed as IG �SSS gets new DG
From[b] Kunle Akogun and Yemi Akinsuyi[/b] in Abuja, 09.09.2010

The names seem familiar.

Aigbofa:

He must beware of the Biafrans who will inadvertently turn him to the Biafran Army Chief. And when he is given the boot, will turn around to blame some phantom enemies of indibo.

OgidiBoy:

Will the appointment of an Igbo Army Chief reduce the number of kidnappings in the East ?

I like this question, Oya Igbos in the east answer cos an appointment of ones kinsman never rattles me unless i see some personal benefit such as some ego in my pockets, personal safety guranteed, personal access to funds and the likes,

So those of you who keep rejoicing cos a yoruba or igbo or ijaw or hausa or whatever man is in a position doesnt make sense cosu are not getting some personal benefit from this. u are in the same position as the other people who dont share the same ethnicity as the elected person, ah ah na the same poo wey u poo yesterday na im you go poo tomorrow 

[size=14pt]Why all the furore about  this chap being the first Igbo COAS since 1966, the chap should consider it as a bad omen as his military career would halt to an abrupt end in 2 years time. In a sense it is good for the Igbo’s but on a personal note to him and his family, he would only be in this post for 2 years going by recent trends since the commencement of democracy.

Is it something to celebrate, in a way for the Igbo’s yes !!,  but for his wife and family the 2 years hangman noose round their husband and father’s neck b4 he even takes up the new post is not something to celebrate?  It is more like an urgency for any honest man to change tact and grab whatever he can lay his hands on within that 2 years window otherwise he would be the butt of all jokes in family meetings and gatherings.

My fear is that with this new common trend of a 2 year stint for the COAS, the men ushered-IN into this highly sorted and prestigious post would be toiling night and day, scheming left, right and centre, at making enough dough b4 their 2 years expires otherwise they would end up in the scrap yard and out of pocket.

Has our nation finally made it a standard rule which should be adhered to, have we as a nation succumbed to the ugly and dire practise of institutionalising and politicizing our Armed Forces and the Police to the peril of the nation,  thereby destroying any iota of Professionalism that might still be left in our armed forces.

One wonders why the last 3 IGP have being the worse the nation has seen for a long time.[/size]

I think Nigeria has more reasons to celebrate than Ndigbo.

As an Igbo person it does nothing specially to my pocket or personal security that Ihejirika was appointed COAS.
However for Nigeria, a country that likes to make so much noise about wanting to be ONE and yet has systematically prevented this from happening for 44years. An act which I consider as an empathy deficit and a burden on the conscience of the Nigerian nation.

It was always up to Nigeria to prove to Ndigbo that they have outgrown some ridiculous prejudices against Ndigbo.

So I say it is for Nigeria to celebrate its long and belated ability to grow up after a shameful 44years.

We will now see that it practically makes no difference on our everyday problems of electricity, hunger, poverty, lack of basic amenities, security etc if the COAS is Dambazua or Azazi or Ihejirika.

mikeansy:

I think Nigeria has more reasons to celebrate than Ndigbo.

As an Igbo person it does nothing specially to my pocket or personal security that Ihejirika was appointed COAS.
However for Nigeria, a country that likes to make so much noise about wanting to be ONE and yet has systematically prevented this from happening for 44years. An act which I consider as an empathy deficit and a burden on the conscience of the Nigerian nation.

It was always up to Nigeria to prove to Ndigbo that they have outgrown some ridiculous prejudices against Ndigbo.

So I say it is for Nigeria to celebrate its long and belated ability to grow up after a shameful 44years.

We will now see that it practically makes no difference on our everyday problems of electricity, hunger, poverty, lack of basic amenities, security etc if the COAS is Dambazua or Azazi or Ihejirika.

I was thinking exactly the same things!
It is left for Nigeria to prove to us that the war is over, and this is just a tiny token. We are still waiting for the real deal.