“General Aguiyi Ironsi who had been slated to die from a failed coup in the presence of his executors said to their hearing “I make bold to declare to you that I am with you, soul, spirit and body. And mark my words, whatever happens to you today, happens to me. I am your true friend like the dove to the pigeon, and by the grace of God, so will I humbly, yet proudly remain till the very end”
Commentary-Who are those whose labours must not be in vain? I built my house in Lagos called Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi Court. I never knew the man Adekunle Fajuyi. I named my property after him because he is my hero.
When we talk of heroes past, we are not talking of political leaders who benefited from the divine mandates offered them to rule and reign over us, and build Nigeria our dear nation. Many do often think of heroes as our later day political leaders, and administrators, our past presidents, governors and ministers. These people we gave opportunities to rule and reign over us cannot be seen as our heroes except they distinguished themselves by making significant contribution(s) to the growth of our nation. These people except those who canvassed successfully for the independence and growth of Nigeria cannot be said to be our heroes particularly those who came in since the military handed over power to civilians.
These do not qualify for the accolade of heroes. Our experience after the first republic particularly during the second republic shows that many who administered Nigeria since 1999 cannot be said to be heroes. Only few of them without been political and nepotistic can be referred to as our heroes. Many of us know who our heroes are. I can remember two immediately. Without been political or tribalistic, I will use these two as examples of leaders no matter how bad some people view them.
Chief and General Olusegun Obasanjo for example was one of the heroes of Nigeria during the Nigerian civil war. He was one of those who fought to keep Nigeria one in obedience to the declaration by the then Head Of State, General Yakubu Gowon to sustain National coercion. General Gowon, the chief of the heroes had declared with his name as an acronym, Go On With One Nigeria (GOWON) with a command “To Keep Nigeria One is a task that must be done” He did not only stop the disintegration of the country, He procured national peace, after the civil war after his famous declaration of no victor, no vanquish.
The election of General Olusegun Obasonjo after his surgeon in jail, stopped the imbroglio which the cancelation of Chief Abiola’s presidency (June 12) was to bring to Nigeria. The grave misunderstanding, bitter and extremely confusing and embarrassing event of June 12 that led to the NADECO protests, political indignation- a complicated disagreement and altercation between the government and NADECO.
This mellowed down after Chief Obasanjo who was not earlier accepted by his own people during the election was divinely hoisted on Nigeria. If Nigerians say that the enigmatic, mysteriously inexplicable, baffling, perplexing and bewildering and unexplainable, unfallowable manner Chief Obasanjo came from prison to assume rulership of Nigeria did not make him a hero, I wonder what else it is because like I grew up to know, Actors who do not die in films, are considered to be heroes. Chief Obasanjo is very much still with us. He is a hero no matter how much we carpet and vilify him. It was Obasanjo who stopped coup plotting in Nigeria with his magical stroke when he sacked all political soldiers from the military. No other could have done it. Not even the administrative “wisdom” of Chief Olu Falae who in an attempt to restructure the federal civil service as per quarter system and federal character, did not only sack his kinsmen from the South who then were majority in the Federal Civil Service but created a way for the north to dominate the Federal Civil Service today. There is therefore no more Federal character in our national service, where policies are made to favour one area only.
I swear that the Federal civil service as composed in the first republic could not have approved an educational system where equal people would be treated un equally and un equal people treated equally. That is when a student in the Northern Nigeria can enter University with a score of 2 to the disadvantage of his southern colleague who must score 200. Even the well beloved Sir Ahmadu Bello would not have thought of this.
The truth I always say is that Nigerians generally do not celebrate their own. The Yoruba’s including their South South kins like their Ibo brothers hardly celebrate their true heroes, Only our Northern brothers celebrate and do not betray their heroes. They do everything to assist the weak in their midst. Northern heroes are immortalized and remembered by them. Who elsewhere can be rated like Sir Ahmadu Bello, None. Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the Zik of Africa who should be considered heroes in the South are mere paper weight where much beloved Sultan stands in the minds of his people.
Another hero of our past was the great and gallant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi. Many don’t know him as a hero. Here is a man in his 40s, saw death and opted for it when he saluted the late Head of State, General Aguiyi Ironsi who had been slated to die from a failed coup in the presence of his executors said to their hearing “I make bold to declare to you that I am with you, soul, spirit and body. And mark my words, whatever happens to you today, happens to me. I am your true friend like the dove to the pigeon, and by the grace of God, so will I humbly, yet proudly remain till the very end” (SANNI AJIKI).
This was a mark of his loyalty to the Head of State and to the Nigerian people. He was brutally shot and killed before general Ironsi as predicted by himself. This is my hero but is hardly mentioned by the Nigerian state, by his kinsmen the Yourba’s and the Ibo people he died for.
The truth is that Nigerians never celebrate their true heroes. Majority of those being celebrated today, do not have heroic profiles, because, they do not have anything attached to their names other than they are politicians and made money from Nigeria. They are stupendously and cruelly rich.
Many of them did not only bury our national wealth, they also buried Nigeria. The truth is that they all know that it is their labors that are in vain. They suffer losses since wealth stolen is said by the holy books to develop wings. Another holy book put it succinctly that such wealth is not transferable and the memory of the wicked shall be forgotten.
Gen. Ovadje rtd was the First African Winner WHO Gold Medal, Geneva Switzerland, Winner, World Intellectual Property Organisation Gold Geneva Switzerland, 1995. Army Council Medal Abuja ,2005, Centenary Medal,Abuja, 2014. Culled from Afrikanwatch Memoir, June 17, 2017.
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