The role of the military in Nigeria’s journey to nationhood is a current issue of conversation as the country celebrates the armed forces and remembrance day.
Former Defence Spokesman rtd Major- General Chris Olukolade told Signature TV exclusively that the Nigerian military has the competence and capability to deliver on Nigeria’s, regional, continental and global engagements as defined by the political leadership.
The main issue, as Nigeria celebrates the 2025 armed forces remembrance day is the premium the Nigerian State places on the military institution and its strategic position in the nation diplomatic and international relations engagements.
The former defense Spokesman Major-General Chris Olukolade, who was a guest on Signature Morning, a breakfast Show on Signature TV, says there is no doubt that the Nigerian military has the competence to deliver on whatever manner of engagement the political leadership assigns to it in its regional, continental or global relations. But the question is does the political leadership know the kind of military it needs for these engagements.
The former defense spokesperson said however that the military also has the critical mass of intellectuals, professionals and scientists to contribute to national development. He stressed that the political leadership must be ready to deploy these assets and expressed the worry that some political thinkers in the peacetime do not appreciate the place of the military institution until there is a crisis. They instead want to drag the military into partisan politics in every election cycle.
The 2025 celebration of the armed forces remembrance day was expanded to include the celebration of officers and men still in service and the families and relations of fallen soldiers who laid down their lives for the Nigerian nation.