What is life like as a retired military General?

I thank God for retiring about 20 years ago. I’ve had a very robust military career, all thanks to God Almighty for protecting my life. As a young officer, I fought during the Nigerian civil war because I was commissioned in 1969 and posted straightaway from the British Military academy to the Third Marine Commando under Benjamin Adekunle.

It was by the help of God Almighty that I survived at the battle front and by His grace, I have survived to reach the age of 74 today. It has not been by my wisdom but it has been due to God Almighty and due to the fact that I have a very peaceful home. It is due to the wonderful wife that I have and also due to the amazing children that God has given me. So, with all this, retirement has been very wonderful, and I am glad that God has protected me till now because it looks like God has preserved me for a special purpose. I don’t know what that purpose is. He is the only one who knows.

Many say that in the past, the mention of the Nigerian military used to drive fear into many other countries, but it no longer appears to be so. What is your view about this?

Change is the only thing that is permanent. It keeps occurring in different dimensions. So also does it apply to organisations, social institutions and all others; they all keep changing. Orientation of the personnel involved also keeps changing.

Sociologically speaking, those who joined the army during our time had a different vision and maybe those who joined now also have a different vision. But I can assure you Nigeria still has one of the best armed forces in the world.

What do you think about the fact that one of the potential outcomes of the ongoing issues in Niger Republic may be the likelihood of resorting to use of military force?

I do not support having Nigeria use military force in Niger. I believe that we should vigorously pursue the use of diplomatic pressure on the junta for them to on their own give the West African sub-region and the Chairman of ECOWAS, President Bola Tinubu, who has started very well, a timetable to conduct election for a new President to peacefully emerge and for them to voluntarily relinquish power.

The use of force in Niger? I don’t think it should ever get to that. I don’t think so. This is because between Niger Republic and substantial parts of Nigeria, there is hardly any difference. I was governor of Katsina State from 1988 to 1990, and as part of the governance of Katsina, I saw a great need to travel to Zinder, Maradi and other parts of Niger Republic, holding meetings with their governors and other officials. And I feel that there is no real difference between us and them whether in terms of religion, culture or whatever.

In terms of trade, they are always with us in Katsina to buy food, toiletries and everything that you need to survive as a person, and they take these from Nigeria. Do not forget too that there are countless Nigerians who are business men and women there too. So, if you attack them or use military option to try restore the government, the collateral damage may be so much that it would affect not only the people there but also the Nigerians who are living within the border as well as those living within Niger. That is why I do not support the use of force.

But could force be the last resort if diplomacy fails?

Normally, diplomacy can never fail here. Coercive power or war does not help anybody. And no matter how long it takes to push the use of force, it all ends with diplomacy. So, no matter how long it takes, we should continue to pursue diplomacy and we will always win. These people in Niger are also human beings, and at some point, reason will prevail.

Our President has started very well by sending eminent personalities like the Sultan of Sokoto, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar and others to talk to them. Surely, at some point, they will cave in and say, ‘OK, we will conduct election in six or 12 months and a democratic administration will come in’. I think diplomacy is still a better option.

You rose to the highest point in your military career while agitations for democratic rule were intense. Would you rate governance to be better under the military?

No system is perfect. Americans started until they arrived at liberal democracy, and up till now, they are still working on their democracy and promoting democracy around the world. Nigeria’s current democratic dispensation started not too long ago; you don’t expect them to be perfect. I believe that one day, we will get it right.

The successive administrations that have come and gone did their best.

The present administration, for instance, has started well. I think President Tinubu, to my mind, knows exactly what needs to be done for us to repair what has gone wrong in this country. I believe that he is on course.

You know they call us a third world country, and some experts even say that we may almost be on the way to being a fourth world country because of how we had not been making good progress in a number of areas. However, I believe that with time, you fall and you stand, you fall and rise. Maybe it won’t exactly be in our time, but with the next generation, in the time of our children, things will be much better than they are now.

To a certain extent, democracy is alien to us. The people that wrote the greatest books on democracy are mostly white people and there are so many ingredients in what makes democracy. One of them is patriotism. Another is what you may wish to call having a near non-corrupt society and the consistent prevalence of the rule of law. Now, these three ingredients, in my view, are sort of growing in our own society. I believe that by the time we effectively fight corruption to the barest level and Nigerians become more patriotic, and you are talking about Nigeria ahead of your tribe or religion, by the time we reach that level through education and self-motivation, I believe that this country will be much better than it is today. As for the present leadership, they are doing their best.

In the 1990s, you served in the regime of Gen. Abacha as General Staff Officer. What was your relationship with and perception of the late former head of state?

Wonderful head of state! He (Abacha) was a wonderful head of state, I am telling you. I served under Babangida and I also served under Abacha. They are among the greatest Nigerians ever. You specifically asked about General Abacha. Among others, don’t forget that the National Hospital which serves countless Nigerians today was built by Abacha.

In October 1994 when General Sani Abacha withdrew the fuel subsidy and increased petrol price from N3.25k to N11, he gave N5 on every litre to the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and got General Buhari to head the PTF. During that time, most hospitals across this country had drugs for patients. Most schools had books. The National Stadium that was renamed as MKO Abiola Stadium was built by Abacha. The National Stadium in Lagos was built by Gowon, and that shows you that many of the infrastructures that we have in this country today were brought about by military administrations. I will discuss that and argue with anybody on such issues! Abacha was a wonderful Head of State and he did his best.

In 1998 while you served under the military administration of Gen. Sani Abacha, you got arrested for allegedly being involved in a plot to depose him but was set free when no charges were brought against you. Is it correct to say that some old relationships helped to set you free?

No. All that happened was the culmination of high level military politics. The so-called coup. And I got out of it. Some people were trying to rope me in but they found out later that it was a story that was not properly weaved together, and I was asked to go. I came out of it with my rank and with my life because of the Almighty Allah, our Almighty God.

Working under General Babangida during the crisis that attended the annulment of June 12, 2023 elections must have left some lasting memories. What do you recall from that period?

It was temptations. There were political or power temptations. Elections were held; wonderful elections. I believed at that period that MKO Abiola won the June 12, 1993 presidential elections. This remains my personal opinion. But then there were diversions. Some military officers said that they had no wish to have it given to Abiola. But after series of arguments, we arrived at an interim government which solved the problem and the entire situation did not reach the point of firing of guns. So, we have cause to thank God.

Were you in support of the annulment or against it?

I was loyal to the country. I was not on anybody’s side. (The Nation)

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