By Okodili Ndidi, Abuja
The Nigerian Army, Friday, decorated the 39 newly promoted Major Generals with a charge to work assiduously to end insecurity.
They were also mandated to make decisions that will help deliver the constitutional mandates of the Nigerian Army.
Those decorated include ; KN Garba, Auwalu Jibril Fagge, Aminu Bande,Chika victor Eze, Garba Audu, Kama I Yusuf, U U Bassey, OO Oluyede, J Ochefu Ochai, Boniface I Sinjen, Abdul Ibrabim.
Others were; O.O Oluyede, O.O Soyele, SI Igbinonwanyia, MG Kangye, E.A.F. Undiadeye, I.S Ali, AM Dauda, JO Iwara, TT Numbere, OR Aiyenyigba, NC Ugbo, SG Mohammed, GU Chibuisi, H Ahmed, BU Yahaya, As Ndalolo, AA Fayemiwo, IM Jalo, E Akerejola, HG Tafida, PI Eze, AJ Fagge, AI Taiwo, S Dahiru, ML Augie, BH Mohammed, BA Tsoho, K Yunusa, LM Zakari and R Abubakar, among others.
The Chief of Policy and Plans (Army) (COPP), Lt. Gen Lamidi Adeosun, while thanking the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and the Minister of Defence for approving the promotion further urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them.
Adeosun charged the newly decorated Generals to abhor godfatherism and enthrone mentorship in relating to subordinates, lamenting that “godfatherism destroys the military system and must be jettisoned for mentorship which promotes hardwork and dedication to service.”
According to him, “your decisions will now affect your subordinates, superiors, families and the entire nation hence you must make proper decisions.
“You cannot afford to make careless mistakes, mentoring is seriously lacking in the system. What we have is god-fatherism. Godfatherism destroys the system.
“A godfather will only protect his god children from doing the hard job. He will shield them and indulging them from doing what is right procedurally and officially rather cutting corners for them but for a mentor, you make sure all your mentees are guided right.”
Meanwhile, congratulating the promoted Officers, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, warned that there is no room for indiscipline and disloyalty.
Buratai warned against hobnobbing with politicians to lobby for appointments but rather lobby for appointments through hardwork, dedication and commitment to the Service and the nation at large.
The COAS further charged them to maintain a state of physical fitness in order to discharge their duties.
He also restated his commitment to the improvement of troops’ welfare and tasked the newly promoted Major Generals to put Troops welfare first in their engagements
“We shall work hard to improve troops welfare. And you should uphold Troops welfare sacred. There is more work to be done. We will have to maintain the tempo of strategy. We must work closely with other agencies,” he stated
Minister of Defence Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd), admonished the Generals to avoid short cuts, adding that “with the promotion comes greater responsibilities and hence incompetence will be revealed if the promotion was not earned”.
He added that, “there is no need for shortcut in life, Just go with God given speed. If you are an average officer just accept it, if you are a brilliant officer it will show. Before now you were hiding under superiors, GOCs, TRADOC Commander, NDA Commandant and the rest but today you are exposed. You cannot say somebody is making you not to do ur job.
“You elevation has placed you among the few steering the affairs of the Nigerian Army”.
The Minister observed further that promotion is “a reward for hardwork, loyalty, dedication and commitment to constituted authority.
“This promotion is a call for you to make more sacrifices to address the security challenges facing the country,” he added.
The Minister also pledged to provide equipment to facilitate their job which he charged them protect.
