Nigerians watched a video of a
Policeman rapping in response to a Falz Challenge on Instagram and some were
surprised that someone with such skill enlisted as an olópá.
What did they expect to see? A
bland human devoid of communication skills? I do not really blame those who
were surprised as well as those who have a completely negative impression about
the Nigerian Police Force and the Military services. The bad eggs have provided
far more scenes than the good ones. Unfortunately, this won’t change until
those who think they are too good for police or military service realize that
they have the responsibility of either enlisting to repopulate the forces or
supporting structures that ensure quality recruitment and administration.
You cannot be in your comfort
zone and wish evil upon those trained to defend us irrespective of whatever
injustices some of their members may have carried out in the past. We shouldn’t
be mocking their efforts and rejoicing when they suffer losses. The army and
police are currently conducting investigations in certain parts of Plateau
state where the vehicle of a missing retired Brigadier was found alongside
other previously reported missing vehicles in an abandoned mining pit that had
become a pond. Some individuals have spent time and effort hurling abuse at
them for this instead of supporting them. The incumbent government has been
accused of using the forces to trample on the people. This cannot be fair or
can it?
The Nigerian Airforce lost a
young Squadron leader and two jets a few days ago. He was part of a rehearsal
for the October 1st celebrations when the jets collided. Unfortunately, some
members of the social media constituency of Nigeria decided to mock the country
and the deceased. “This is what you get when you buy second hand jet from
America” one cerebral male tweeted. Some others asked why wouldn’t the plane crash
when the pilot was an aboki. I mention these things because there is a pattern
to how some Nigerians respond to issues. These individuals usually adopt ethnic
or religious means of responding when all they need to do is just be humans. It
is the same way that some people were vocal and called on the army to wipe out
the inhabitants of the land where the missing vehicles were found. This is very
sad.
Why are many Nigerians so toxic
and negative? Why do they feel everything has to be a tussle? Some of these
reactions are a result of transmitted traits while others just do so because of
perverse religious and/or political influences. Why will a human being be
comfortable with those who ask others to commit arson, murder or other criminal
acts? Some of these calls are even made in religious places. Why hate on the
land when there is so much good therein? Why the hate for other people simply
because of superficial differences?
I have seen one Facebook post
declaring that the Berom are peaceful people and I believe this is in response
to the discovery of the pond cemetery in Jos South. Some of us have always
opposed the speed and ease certain ethnic groups stereotype others and pass judgment.
The Fulani have been at the receiving end of most of this vitriol and the
entire race has been blacklisted because of the atrocities which have been
attributed to herdsmen. I have always cautioned that herdsmen are not always
guilty of what they are accused of but our efficient people declare them so
even without police investigations. Suggestions that we have a two or
multisided conflict; especially in the Middle Belt is usually met with abuse or
accusations of lacking human feelings. They even go further to accuse the
Fulani president of funding and enabling his kinsmen to kill on his behalf.
Isn’t it baffling that a people who have largely been declared as victims live
in a region where the vehicles of missing people are found in a pond?
There is nothing that the police
or military can say to convince some people that their activities are fair and
just. Their press releases are mocked and certain influential people and
politicians are able to turn the people against them. The people are also
turned against other ethnicities and religious groups with relative ease.
Someone says a certain ethnic group is evil with a born to rule mentality and
people reverberate it. Another says another group can never be trusted because
they are ‘betrayals' and it becomes their truth. It is not uncommon to hear
that one group is dishonest and another is backward and undeserving of
anything. It is this reason someone can assume that people from a certain
region are not teachable and must always be helped to progress through the
ranks in whatever industry.
I watched the October 1st
Military parade which had the Military, Police, NSCDC, Customs, Immigration,
Prisons services, Legions and NYSC perform. There were commentaries during the
Airforce display and when the Army and Navy rolled out some of their gear. One
thing I observed was that the armed forces were more dynamic than I thought and
I’m certain there is room for more. They narrated how grounded planes were
revived and how locally made vehicles or modifications were produced. All these
were done by Nigerians. The army also showcased its information technology team
against terrorism while the Navy had divers in the parade. All I see is
potential and how more people on the sidelines should push to get into these
establishments to serve the country and make her better.
I know there are issues when it
comes to recruitment in Nigeria. The ‘man-know-man’ variable gets introduced
from time to time and quota system doesn’t help either. I doubt if the military
or police go out of their way to recruit specialists in certain fields. I once
travelled from Abuja to Lagos by road about 10 years ago in a bus loaded with
young people. There was this lady who talked and talked throughout the journey.
She was going to resume for secret service training after her aunt who was a
legislator pushed her name into the list since she was part of a certain
committee. I was shocked that someone who was that unrestrained was about to
try out for a job she didn’t apply for. We should continue to expose illegal
recruitments and disenfranchisements; some issues are beyond politicking, it’s
about structure. The IG of Police and Chief of Defence Staff for example are
not political appointments and should not be addressed as belonging to any
political party. Tukur Buratai is the chief of Army staff of Nigeria not of APC
or PDP. We can’t continue to blackmail these people when they carry out their
duties.
Locally built drones were
commissioned a while back and it became an opportunity to throw jabs all over
the place. Some claimed the glory ought to have gone to the past president
Goodluck Jonathan instead of Buhari while some belittled the milestone. These
same individuals vehemently rejected the attribution of inability of states to
pay salaries to Jonathan but they insisted on having the good. They didn’t care
about the Airforce engineer who led the project and how her training outside
Nigeria equipped her to do exploits. The ones who mocked the country when two
jets crashed didn’t care if they may have known those involved. There are those
who rejoice when they hear bad news about soldiers getting ambushed or losing
ground in a previously recaptured town. How did people develop this hardening
of their hearts? I have relatives, classmates and colleagues in the military that
get deployed to hotspots from time to time. Should I not constantly wish them
well? I think the National service should be upgraded for those who are
physically able to non-combat full military service. We’ll probably have more
people who will decide on a career path in the military or police but more
importantly, there will many with respect for the forces.
Military service should not be a
contraindication for taking part in politics. Some rejected Buhari because of
this but they didn’t realize that the likes of David Mark, Jonah Jang and Jerry
Useni were also generals. Uneducated people don’t become senior officers in the
military. Many people struggled with Geography and science in school. These are
some of the courses which guide the careers of these men and women for years.
They are taught administrative courses and get to learn with international
officers. In developed countries that some of our Social media PhD elites like
to point to, military service adds value to any political sojourner. Mr. Donald
Trump will never stop hearing about dodging the draft in the 60s. There are
several recently retired young female Airforce officers running for Congress in
the US; one a fighter jet pilot retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. We should
encourage our Vets to take their military discipline into our political arena
instead of joining politicians while in service to amass unexplainable wealth
like some of our past service chiefs, Inspectors and Comptrollers have done. A
certain ex-customs officer who is now very wealthy is jostling for office. Many
have become very wealthy over the years by dealing with government and they
ensure they maintain the relationship. I am not certain they have found it
smooth in recent years but what do I know.
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| the late Squadron Leader Baba-Ari (32). RIP |
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