Our fears for Nigeria –Ex-generals

The call for restructuring of the country reverberated in Lagos, yesterday, as prominent Nigerians converged for the public presentation of a book on former Chief of Defence Staff, General Alani Akinrinade, entitled: Alani Akinrinade: My Dialogue with

Nigeria.

The book presentation was also a time for reminiscences, as retired Generals recalled their days in the army and the civil war period.

At the book launch, former military Generals and politicians expressed their fears for Nigerian, saying restructuring was imperative for the country’s survival.

Speaking on restructuring, Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola and his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu, said now is the time for that to happen.

Akeredolu said: “I believe the time has come for proper restructuring of Nigeria. But, we need a blueprint on that. We look forward to General Akinrinade’s memoir, which may contain some nuggets on restructuring.”

The Sun news reported that he described Akinrinade as a rallying point of the Yoruba race.

On his part, Aregbesola said his belief in federalism is total and absolute, which makes it impossible for him to accept anything outside restructuring of the country.

Said he: “Nigeria is the only Federation on earth where the police system is unitary. There is no other federation in the entire world where the internal security arrangement is unitary or directed from the centre.

“As we clamour for the total overhaul of our archaic federal system, let us start by demanding that the police should be restructured, as a first step. It is not only about state policing, because even the structure of the police can be federated even as it is today. Why must the Commissioner of Police in a state report only to the Inspector General of Police? What is the duty of the zonal police command when the command in the state is not in any way connected to it? Let us federate the police, even in this awkward unitary structure. I am not saying that is the end, but let us even start from there.”

He revealed that General Akinrinade inspired him to aspire for the position of the governor and that his support, encouragement and inspiration were unquantifiable.

The governor described Akinrinade as an intelligent, humble and courageous soldier, whose exploits in the military were public knowledge, as evidenced from the testimonies of his co-Generals at the event.

In his remarks, one of the publishers of the book, Ray Ekpu, also harped on the imperativeness of restructuring. “Restructuring is an idea whose time has come,” he said and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to restructure Nigeria, as that would make him a hero of Nigeria’s renaissance, while describing Akinrinade as “a humble and courageous Nigerian.”

Ekpu urged Akinrinade to write his own memoir.

Also lending his voice to the need to restructure Nigeria was a Yoruba leader and chieftain of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, who described Akinrinade as humble, nationalistic and patriotic. He advised the retired soldier not to deviate from his stand on restructuring of Nigeria.

“He should remain a consistent advocate of restructuring because that is the only thing that can save Nigeria from breaking up,” he said.

Adebanjo charged everybody who loves the country to continue to sing the song of restructuring without which there would be no Nigeria.

In his address, chairman on the occasion, Chief J.A.O. Olapade, described Akinrinade as a stubbornly principled and detribalised Nigerian, who once regretted fighting the Nigerian civil war.

According to Olopade, “General Akinrinade once regretted fighting the civil war. He said if he knew that Nigeria would find itself in this mess, he would not have fought the war. He prefers fighting to protect the territorial integrity of the nation. He is brutally frank.”

He recommended the book to all Nigerians and to those who desired to leave Nigeria better than they met it.

Speaking on Akinrinade, General Ike Nwachukwu recalled the civil war days when he worked under the former’s command.

He recounted what happened during the war, when the company Akinrinade led recorded success in the Midwest. He also said the troops rebelled when Akinrinade was removed because he advised that the  invasion of Asaba be delayed.

Nwachukwu said after Akinrinade led the troops to over-run Midwest, he was asked to proceed immediately to Asaba, but, he advise against it, suggesting that the attack be delayed till the next day.

He said owing to this, the overall commander removed Akinrinade and brought in the late General Musa Yar’Adua to lead the troop. According to him, when Yar’Adua came, the troops rebelled and refused to follow him to attack Asaba that day.

Former Chief of Army Staff, General Aliyu Gusau, told the audience how Akinrinade encouraged him to joined the intelligence arm of the army, an advice he said helped him.

Gusau was to become acting director head of the Nigerian Security Organisation (NSO) and National Security Adviser (NSA), respectively.

In his review, Prof. Adebayo Williams looked at Akinrinade’s life and sojourn in the army, and said he turned his back on his constituency, the military, when the June 12, 1993 presidential election was annulled by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida.

He recounted how Akinrinade transformed from the military to a cerebral warrior, agitated for the restructuring of the country, following annulment of the June 12 presidential poll.

The professor also narrated how his activities at the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) pitted him against the military and how he was forced into exile after his house was attacked and burnt.

In his own remarks, Akinrinade promised to write his memoir and expressed hope that the book would proffer solutions on how to turn the country around; from the road to perdition.

His co-Generals took turns to pour adulations and encomiums on his sterling qualities, both in and out of military service, with Generals Alabi Isama and David Jemibewon speaking glowingly about him.

Politicians were not left out as former governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, representatives of Oyo, Ogun and Lagos State governors, as well as that of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, poured encomiums  on Akinrinade.