Gen. Theophilus Danjuma
By Ozo Igbonekwu Ogazimorah
“Army not neutral in the killings going on”…TY Danjuma. Hmmmm. Seriously? Danjuma expects the Army to be neutral? He, in league with Yakubu Gowon and Murtala Muhammed, working other middle level and junior officers destroyed the neutrality of the army in civilian affairs, way back in 1966. Can a goat give birth to a lion? Can a lion eat leaves instead of live flesh? Less than 24 months ago, the same TY was boastful. “We gave the Igbo a bloody nose. “Sure, they did, but at the same time sowed a seed. A very bad seed. But something good may come from his unsolicited advice, “arm and fight. “As a networth citizen, he has now said it: ‘Defend yourselves’. Only that he didn’t say it when the partiality of the army came months back. That was the repeated Operation Python Dance(s). It was sweet music to him.
Of course, the Middle Belt lives must be protected. But the resources deployed in training a national army have been a waste. Danjuma was one of the architects. But wait a minute. Why would Nigeria army not be partial? A collection of mediocre entrenched men who celebrate partiality?
Nigeria Army deals clannishness, breathes sectionalism and wheels partiality, what with convival dexterity and brutal efficiency of a Corsican Partiarch’s mob. Our people will say, haa, na today? Recruitment is not on merit. Movement and career prospect is never on merit. Remember the cases of potential cadets, each failing recruitment for shortfall in height? The Ultimate Sardauna ordered the British instructor: “Find the extra inches anywhere to qaulify those men.”
Both men ended up ruling Nigeria, almost one after the other. Irony being that while one rewarded Sardauna’s Secretary to headship of the Sultanate, the other dethroned him. That ex-Sultan was Sardauna’s secretary who took the young lads to the Premier as they approached him with tears. Remember also the Sandhurst embarrassment? Some were sent back to Nigeria for intellectual deficiency. But before their course mates finished up in England and returned as 2nd Lts, they were already Captains in the Nigeria Army. Or did you forget Corporal, later Lt. Carpenter? Too many to remind Nigerians that there will never be a neutral army.
Nigeria army, from July 1966, was not structured to be neutral. But it has a constant regime of Master Class. Danjuma made a point. Let him go ahead and make the real sense. Where do we get the weapons to combat a murderous group backed by the national army? Let him be bold to retrace the steps.
“Let us return to Aburi”, is what we expect from him now. Danjuma never made any mark referring to Somalia. In Biafra, my parents saw a worse than Somalia. Except by suicide bombers, women and old men are not bombed with impunity in Somalia. At least, not by a government under the pretence of forcing a surrender. Danjuma can say, ‘other Nigerians will see the worse-than-Somalia as the Igbo/East did under our regime.’
But let me ask, is the retired Quota General broke? Not likely. There is at least an oil well. May be he wants an addition, to look the other way!
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