₦airaland Forum

I remember how Kadaria pinned Buhari down on the question of electricity in 2011. I'm waiting to see if something similar will happen today.

Kadaria's opening monologue.

We are live!

Watch live on the NTA,TVC, Wazobia TV, Oak TV, etc. and follow live on Twitter via #NgTheCandidates #TheCandidates

Streaming live online here www.dtv.media

Getting ready.

Tonight at 8pm.

The entire ceremony (as shown on the NTA) beginning with the arrival of Vice President Osinbajo.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewh7bOI9lRE

The NTA has just announced that the programme will begin at 8pm and end at 10pm.

KingOfAllIgbos

naptu2:
Part 2

And that was the hierarchy in the late 1980s. The only changed occurred in the police force. There was a notorious armed robber called Lawrence Anini. He terrorised Bendel and surrounding states. One day, the President was answering reporters' questions in front of the Council Chamber (after a council meeting). The top 7 members of the regime were behind him. Then a journalist asked the President, "where is Lawrence Anini?" (The government had previously pledged that he would soon be arrested). Babangida turned to Etim Inyang and repeated the journalist's question, "Where is Lawrence Anini?" Etim Inyang stuttered. That marked the beginning of the end of the careers of Etim Inyang and Lawrence Anini. Anini was arrested a few months later and executed. Etim Inyang was retired from the force and replaced with Alhaji Muhammadu Gambo. Gambo was a very tough Inspector General (almost as tough as Sunday Adewusi of the Shagari era).

The three most senior members of the regime were promoted on October 1st 1987. Babangida became a 4 star general, Aikhomu became a vice admiral and Bali became a lieutenant general.

As I wrote in part one, Domkat Bali was Babangida's senior. When Babangida approached Bali for help in staging his coup, Bali agreed, but on the condition that he would be made the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Bali was very popular amongst the ranks.

Babangida always gave Bali a lot of respect. He hosted a lavish dinner in honour of Bali to celebrate the anniversary of Bali's commissioning into the Nigerian Army. Bali was called "the longest serving general". A book was published, titled, "Domkat The Cat".

But something happened in December 1989 (I think it was December 29th). There was an earth shaking reshufflement. Koshoni and Alfa were retired. More amazing was the fact that Domakt Bali was redeployed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This was unbelievable. This had effectively removed Bali from the top of the hierarchy!

Major General Sani Abacha was made the Minister of Defence and Chief of Army Staff (he held both positions for a while), Babangida kept the chairmanship of the Joint Chiefs for himself, Rear Admiral Murtala Nyako became the Chief of Naval Staff and Air Vice Marshal Nurraini Yusuf became the Chief of Air Staff.

This meant that Sani Abacha was now Bali's senior (by position, not by rank). Who would salute whom? Domkat Bali got the message and retired from the army the next day. Babangida promoted him to the rank of General, backdated the promotion and accepted his retirement.

The Orkar coup plotters cited the "disgrace of Domkat Bali" as one of the reasons for staging their coup (Bali had to issue a statement, disociating himself from the coup).

Bali was compensated with HFP and HFP got the Dolphin Estate contract the next year.

KingOfAllIgbos:
Hello Naptu2,

I directed this question to you because i know how vast your knowledge is.

Is it true that Sani Abacha was the first soldier not to skip a rank? It is oft repeated as the gospel truth but it might be an urban myth.

I admire him though because he was reputed to be fearless and ruthless. Can you shed more light on this?

You might be interested in this. I wrote it in 2015.

naptu2:
I had planned to create this post two weeks ago, but I haven't had the time until now.


Order of precedence, hierachy and reshufflement (musical chairs).

Part One.

I knew, right from the beginning, that there would be a problem. I was confused by the selection and I wondered why anyone would make that kind of selection that would create confusion in the hierarchy.

The order of precedence in the Buhari regime was: -

1) Major General Muhammadu Buhari - Head of State and Commander in Chief.

2) Major General Tunde Idiagbon - Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters.

3) Major General Domkat Bali - Minister of Defence.

*4) Major General Ibrahim Babangida - Chief of Army Staff.

5) Rear Admiral Augustus Aikhomu - Chief of Naval Staff.

6) Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Alfa - Chief of Air Staff.

7) Mr. Etim Inyang - Inspector General of Police.

The service chiefs (4-6) are deemed equal, but the they are ranked according to the age of their service (the army is the oldest, followed by the navy, then the air force). The Inspector General is last because his service is a civillian service, not a military service.

However, the order of precedence at the beginning of the Babangida era was: -

1) Major General Ibrahim Babangida - President and Commander in Chief.

2) Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe - Chief of General Staff.

3) Major General Domkat Bali - Minister of Defence and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff.

4) Major General Sani Abacha - Chief of Army Staff.

5) Rear Admiral Augustus Aikhomu - Chief of Naval Staff.

6) Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Alfa - Chief of Air Staff.

7) Mr. Etim Inyang - Inspector General of Police.

Now, the two problems are clear. (1) Bali was Babangida's senior (2) Ukiwe was a commodore (one star general), while all the others were 2 star generals, yet Ukiwe was second in command. These problems set the stage for the order of precedence crises of 1986 and 1989.

There was a reason why a mere commodore became the second in command. Ukiwe had served in the Biafran navy during the Civil War and had been reabsorbed back into the Nigerian Navy after the war. Remember that the Civil War was fought between 1967-1970 and remember that the crisis that led to the Civil War started in 1966. Members of the Nigerian Armed Forces were, of course, promoted between 1966 and 1970. Biafra also promoted its officers. However, the Nigerian Armed Forces refused to recognise Biafran ranks. This is one of the reasons that Philip Effiong wore civilian outfit when he went to see General Gowon at Dodan Barracks. To the Nigerian Armed Forces Philip Effiong was a lieutenant colonel, but he had been promoted to the rank of a major general in Biafra. Nigeria, of course, did not recognise Biafra and so it did not recognise Biafran ranks.

Commodore Ukiwe would probably have been a rear admiral if the Civil War had not happened. This was why Babangida made him the CGS.

This did not change the fact that it created confusion. Rear Admiral Aikhomu had been the Chief of Naval Staff when Ukiwe was the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, therefore Aikhomu had been his boss, now, suddenly the situation had been reversed. Who would salute whom? Would the rear admiral salute the commodore? Would the majors general (Bali and Abacha) salute the commodore.

This became an issue in 1986. I became aware of the problem in early 1986. I assumed that they would find a way to resolve it. Then came Independence Day (October 1st, 1986).

Members of the regime always enter the venue of the independence day celebration according to the order of precedence, with the Inspector General arriving first (his car is in a motorcade that includes the other three service chiefs, but his car enters first) and the President arriving last. This time, there was a proposal that Major General Domkat Bali should arrive after Ukiwe. That was the source of the problem.

The service chiefs arrived, then Domkat Bali and . . . . I can still remember Taiwo Obileye's voice, "the sirens, heralding the arrival of the Chief of General Staff" (I looked into the car and saw the white uniform), "wait, that's the President! The President is in the uniform of a rear admiral!"

Where was Ukiwe? I immediately tried to get in touch with some people, but I couldn't reach them. One of them contacted me that evening. He said that Ukiwe did not come to the parade ground. This, he said, triggered a coup scare. The service chiefs flew back to Lagos immediately after the parade. Ukiwe was placed under house arrest that evening.

Ukiwe's retirement was announced on the network news. On October 6th, 1986, it was announced that Rear Admiral Aikhomu had been appointed as the new Chief of General Staff and Rear Admiral Patrick Koshoni had become the new Chief of Naval Staff.

Next - Part 2 - The 1989 Order of Precedence Crisis (Major General Domkat Bali and Major General Sani Abacha).

Imo

https://mobile.twitter.com/phrekee/status/1085190595025334273

KingOfAllIgbos:
Hello Naptu2,

I directed this question to you because i know how vast your knowledge is.

Is it true that Sani Abacha was the first soldier not to skip a rank? It is oft repeated as the gospel truth but it might be an urban myth.

I admire him though because he was reputed to be fearless and ruthless. Can you shed more light on this?

Four star generals.

Gowon was a lieutenant colonel when he became head of state and commander in chief.

He was promoted to the rank of major general at the beginning of the war (skipping the ranks of colonel and brigadier).

He was promoted to the rank of general at the end of the war (skipping the rank of lieutenant general).


Murtala Muhammad was a brigadier when he became head of state. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of general (skipping the ranks of major general and lieutenant general).

Olusegun Obasanjo was a brigadier when the 1975 coup occured. He was subsequently promoted to the rank to lieutenant general (skipping the rank of major general). He was promoted to the rank of general in April 1979.


Ibrahim Babangida was a major general when he became head of state. He was promoted to the rank of general on Oct 1st 1987 (skipping the rank of lieutenant general).

Sani Abacha was a brigadier at the time of the 1983 coup. He became a major general at the time of the 1985 coup when he became chief of army staff. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general after he became minister of defence in 1990. He was promoted to the rank of general at the end of the Babangida regime in 1993. He didn't skip any rank.

Rivers State.

https://mobile.twitter.com/GovWike/status/1085118809780953088

I wrote about this in 2012 and then again a few weeks ago.

This is one of the reasons that I'm grsteful to the Armed Forces.

naptu2:
It appears that some Nigerians do not realise that the main reason that we are alive and free from harassment by Boko Haram and ISWAP is the military.

I stated this on Nairaland in 2012 and it is true today as it was then: Boko Haram is not interested in Nigerian politics or whether Jonathan or Buhari is president. They are not trying to secede from Nigeria and create a muslim state in northern Nigeria. Their goal is to capture the whole of West Africa (including southern Nigeria) and make it a part of their dream global islamic caliphate. They will kill Christians, Muslims, Traditional Religionists, Atheists and any one that stands in their way.

The only reason that they are not operating in Lagos, Enugu, Calabar, Ibadan, etc. is the Nigerian military. (They have detonated a car bomb in Lagos in the past).

And from 2012.

naptu2:
I've said this before and I'll say it again, we need to be wary of wrong diagnosis. If a man has typhoid and you administer malaria treatment on him, he could die before you know what's going on.


Boko Haram has splintered into many factions. You have the political element (thugs used by politicians to carry out their dirty deeds), you have the common criminals, you have the Yusuf faction and you have the Al-Qaeda faction.

To be fair, Shehu Sanni may mean well, but his claims are exaggerated. He may be in touch with one faction, but it is certainly not the Al-Qaeda faction, which is the most dangerous faction.

The Al-Qaeda faction is not interested in negotiation. They did not spring up because of President Jonathan, neither are they interested in petty politics. They have just one aim, which is to spread their brand of Islam across Nigeria.

Let me make this clear, they are not just interested in taking over Northern Nigeria, they want to take over the whole country and then spread across West Africa and they will kill anyone who opposes them, including Buhari, the Sultan, Babangida or whoever.

The sooner we put aside our differences and realise that Boko Haram is a threat to all Nigerians, the better for us.

We need to reactivate Ecomog and incorporate Cameroun into the group. We need to have troops in Niger, Chad and northern Cameroun, to prevent those places being used as safe havens by Al-Qaeda affiliated groups. The NIA must be more active. Why haven't they arrested the former Mauritanian president that is backing Boko Haram? We need NIA agents across West Africa to monitor and deal with Boko Haram sympathisers.

If we keep going on about our domestic problems and are not united in confronting this problem, then we might just be administering quinine to a typhoid patient and you know what the result will be.

My favourite Remembrance Day was in 1991, when the coffin of the Unknown Soldier was taken from the Cenotaph in Lagos and buried at the Cenotaph in Abuja.

Abuja.

There was no point going to work on Remembrance Day if you worked at Independence Building in the 1980s. The building overlooked the Cenotaph at Tafawa Balewa Square and it was usually cleared of people for security reasons. The roads leading to the building were usually closed to traffic on Remembrance Day.

Nowadays it's people who work at the Federal Secretariat that experience the problem.

Enugu

Previous thread

Today Is Nigerian Armed Forces Remembrance Day (2019).
https://www.nairaland.com/4960930/today-nigerian-armed-forces-remembrance

Lagos

The deputy governor, Idiat Adebule, represented Governor Akinwumi Ambode.

She laid a wreath at the Cenotaph at the Tafawa Balewa Square.

https://mobile.twitter.com/lagostelevision/status/1085171416272723969

Anambra

https://mobile.twitter.com/AnambraPrime/status/1085145136076591104

Katsina

Governor Aminu Bello Masari was represented by the commissioner for youth, sports and social development.

https://mobile.twitter.com/ak_faskari/status/1085154731125862400

Akwa Ibom

https://mobile.twitter.com/GovtHouseUyo_/status/1085158795846844416

Oyo

https://mobile.twitter.com/AAAjimobi/status/1085122508662153216

Benue

Governor Samuel Ortom and the Tor Tiv, James Ayatse, laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

https://mobile.twitter.com/zaki_grm/status/1085126074281984000

Kaduna

https://mobile.twitter.com/GovKaduna/status/1085112473567588352

Delta

I just laid a wreath at the Grand Finale of the 2019 #ArmedForcesRemembranceDay Celebrations at the Cenotaph, Asaba in Honor of our Fallen Heroes. pic.twitter.com/JtOkK0ABrZ

— Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa (@IAOkowa) January 15, 2019

Kano

https://mobile.twitter.com/dawisu/status/1085138263109758977

Ondo

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and his wife Betty at the Cenotaph in Akure.

https://mobile.twitter.com/allensowore451/status/1085132404434628608

The inspector general of police, Ibrahim Idris, made a lot of mistakes last year when he went to lay his wreath.

I noticed that he was much slower this year (in order to ensure that he didn't make any mistakes) and he was watching the chief of air staff (who was beside him) and following his lead.

Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, the ministers of Defence and the FCT, the service chiefs and the inspector general of police all laid wreaths at the Cenotaph in Abuja to mark the 2019 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

The doyen of the diplomatic corps (the Liberian ambassador), the widow of Lieutenant Colonel Abu Ali (representing all widows of deceased officers) and the chairman of the Nigerian Legion also laid wreaths at the Cenotaph.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Mofiobafemi/status/1085165852285194240.

The end.