Leadnaija
I stand strongly with Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, in his strong and open rebuke of the Canadian authorities for refusing visas to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR, the highest-ranking uniformed officer in our armed forces, and some in his entourage....TAP HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY..>>
Denying the CDS a visa was a slap in the face of Nigeria and a disservice to a country that has played a commendable role in international peacekeeping efforts while maintaining fraternal relations with all nations.
I am particularly disappointed in a former Governor of Jigawa State, who is also a former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has misread the pulse of the nation.
Alhaji Lamido is older than me, and by my culture, I owe him the highest respect. However, I need to say as politely as I can that Mr. Lamido failed to understand that whereas it is the duty of the Minister for Foreign Affairs to, as he put it, “tongue lash” the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, there is actually a higher duty on Malam Nuhu Ribadu, as the National Security Adviser, to restore and maintain morale within our armed forces.
When their most senior officer is so poorly treated, morale will fall in the military. And it will remain low, unless those, like the National Security Adviser, who have supervisory roles over the military, give a pushback and show their unalloyed and unwavering support for our armed forces.
It is almost shocking to me that Alhaji Lamido does not know this. I am taken aback. Without our military, Nigeria will crumble before her enemies.
As for Alhaji Lamido’s claims that our foreign relations have been under “rookie management” since the Tinubu administration assumed office, the facts do not support that statement.
Under President Tinubu and his Foreign Minister, H. E. Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, OON, Nigeria has played host to the German President, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, amongst many other world leaders.
Mr. Lamido would have been proud to achieve that as Foreign Minister, but alas, it was only when he left office that notable world leaders, like the then U.S. President George Bush, visited Nigeria. I wonder why.
Nigeria also handled the provocative statements by the Nigerien junta leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani, in such a diplomatic way that cooled tensions and is deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize.
The time for anodyne, weak, and timid leadership of Nigeria’s military is over. Alhaji Lamido may have seen that terror activities in his home state of Jigawa have dramatically reduced since Malam Ribadu was made the NSA. Lamido should thank Malam Ribadu instead of misspelling his name as Ribado. Read Full Details
