In a regime of propaganda, self-adulation and engagement of media gurus for profiling of public office-holders, including Army Generals, it is important to welcome the former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (Rtd), back to the arena. A humble but brilliant officer, who distinguished himself with measurable achievements and panoply of awards, he deserves a second chance to serve Nigeria again as a civilian in the political terrain.

A thoroughbred officer, his conservative approach to publicity is best captured by the English proverb: Good wine needs no bush. Which is defined as, “there is no need to advertise or boast of something of good quality, as people will always discover its merit.” First, despite the controversy that trailed his commitment to fight Boko Haram terrorists, which led to some Northern leaders accusing him of genocide and threatening to report him to the International Criminal Court, he never reacted to the charge. At the same time, he was also accused of sponsoring the same terrorists. The authenticity of the allegation generated a lot of reactions across the nation and some part of neighbouring countries. Regardless, the State Security Service (SSS), however, absolved General Ihejirika. Till date, he never reacted nor hired anyone to explain his position. Good wine.

In February 2020, when he yielded to political pressure and declared for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), despite his status and socio-political reach as a retired COAS, Ihejirika chose his Isuikwuato constituency to make his declaration, rather than the nation’s capital, Abuja, where all the media houses and news pegs would have graced the occasion.

In an unscheduled interview with Vanguard Newspaper in November, 2019, Ihejirika was asked his greatest achievement as chief of army staff. Without equivocation, he responded as a team leader. “The most important achievement is that we were able to measure and identify the complexity of the problem. We went ahead to quickly increase the strength of the army by as much as 25 per cent within a span of three years; and, without that, it would have been a major disaster, because of several commitments both internally and externally when Nigerian Army was involved in foreign operations.”

His next most valuable achievement was the language institute, which was intended to give the Nigerian Army capacity to be able to collaborate with its Francophone neighbours. Always appreciative of others’ efforts, Ihejirika, while commending the incumbent Chief of Defence Staff, and other Service Chiefs for their patriotic duty to the nation, expressed satisfaction that “some of the efforts we made have stated yielding fruits.”

Born on February 13, 1956 in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State, South-eastern Nigeria, the young Azubuike attended Williams Memorial Grammar School, Afugiri in Umuahia North Local government Area, where he obtained the London GCE in 1975 as well as the West African Senior Certificate Examination with a Grade 1 Distinction.

He enlisted into the army as a member of 18 Regular Combatant Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, after which he was commissioned Second Lieutenant into the corps of Nigerian Army Engineers (NAE). He later acquired a Bachelor of Science degree in Quantity Survey from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Gen Ihejirika was on the directing staff at the Command and Staff College, Jaji and principal staff officer at the Defence and Army Headquarters. He also held various command positions, such as Commander 42 Division Engineers; Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division and GOC 81 Division. He crowned his brilliant career with the appointment, on September 8, 2010, as Chief of Army Staff by President Goodluck Jonathan, even though informed sources said it with on the advice of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Again, before he was decorated as Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) he had bagged the whole five service awards of the Nigerian Army, namely: the Forces Service Star (FSS), Meritorious Service Star (MSS), Distinguished Service Star (DSS), Grand Service Star (GSS); and having passed Staff College Dagger (PSC), he is also a Fellow, National War College (FOC).

And to crown his unprecedented successful military career in a post-civil war Nigeria that systematically subdued the efforts and performance of Igbo officers in the Nigerian Army, Ihejirika was honoured with a chieftaincy title: Dike Abia, that is, the Warrior of Abia.

The forgoing rich background would actually be wasted in a farm or other endeavours that would not challenge his public service-oriented intellect and performance mind-set, hence he bowed to the demand of his people who would appreciate his replication of what he gave to the Army in his immediate constituency, Isuikwuato and Abia State, and Nigerian polity, as political circumstances may dictate.

He did not mince words when he declared for the APC, having served almost 38 years in the military: “I am convinced that it will be a waste of experience for me to remain outside government activities. This is because I have a lot to offer, my first goal is to unite the party. Unity is very important, because if we are united, we can achieve all our goals for the state.”

Giving honour to whom it is due, he said: “I am delighted by the presence of the leader of the party in our state, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to honour the event.”

Aside Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, General Ihejirika will have to join forces with other distinguished Abia APC heavyweights, such as Dr Alex Otti, Dr Uchechukwu Ogah, Chief Ikechi Emelike, Chief Nyerere Anyim, BB Apugo, among others, to change the narrative in Abia State come 2023.

•Uzoukwu wrote in from Abuja.

Update news