The Nigerian Army has assured Nigerians of safety during the forthcoming general elections scheduled to commence in February 2023, as modalities towards achieving a peaceful election have been put in place.
The Commander, 9 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Isangubong Akpaumontia, who gave the assurance, said a military maneuver tagged Exercise Still Water was launched recently, with the aim of maintaining safety of Nigerians during the yuletide season and the period of the general elections.
General Akpaumontia spoke while delivering a lecture tagged “The Military and Leadership: Lessons for a Growing Democracy”, at a Town and Gown Seminar organised by the Faculty of Leadership and Development Study, Covenant University, Otta, Ogun State .
He disclosed that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya, was working towards ending insecurity in all parts of the country. While promoting the tenets of democracy, the Brigade Commander reminded the audience, comprising students and lecturers of the faculty, that the Nigerian Army has no right to change the government of the day, noting that change could only be achieved through the ballot box and not with the barrel of the gun.
During the lecture, Akpaumontia highlighted that military leadership is different from other leaders because of the training they undergo. “As soon as you enter school in the army, your leadership training begins.”
He said the military develops its leaders within. “No organisation has leadership procedures other than the military. I am bold to say that the military develops all the sections.”
He gave examples with former Senate President, David Mark, who was a former military man, and the present NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd). He said the military understands and manages complexity better. He noted that there are different kinds of leadership which include operational level leadership; strategic level leadership, and Military in Politics. He said the military is charged with the responsibility of protecting the country and not to govern
Also speaking, the Dean, College of Leadership, Professor Charles Obulugo, said: “We teach leadership. We know leadership is not isolatory but cumulative, and it is a game played across the table.
“We cannot say we have leadership without touching on all sectors. Today, we have the privilege of bringing the number one person in Lagos to come speak with us, so to us, it’s an extension of our leadership mandate.”
