The idea of transforming the Nigerian military or making it better used to be alien to Nigeria. Nigerians generally either have a strong resent for the military institution or were totally oblivious of the rotten underbelly of this giant a perfect mirror image of the nation it guards. An institution that produced the likes of IBB, Abacha, Obasanjo, Bode George and now David Mark would easily appear as one you should have deep suspicions of. Many view the Nigerian military force as an internal force of occupation until recently. An evil institution better left alone to consume and destroy itself than one to be helped out of its perpetual self inflicted horror. But may be we can help the Nigerian military help itself, before it destroys us.

Have no illusions though, the military institution is widely known for its insularity and detest for self reformation. Selfish rank and file especially amongst the top pot bellied Generals and their retired godfather ensure all major reforms in the Army, Navy or Air force are either killed in conception or allowed to die a natural military kind of death march -the slow kind. The Military, especially the Army in my country is also very deaf. My guess is no amount of suggestion will force it to change the way it does things except perhaps external aggression. Fortunately for my country, we have little to worry about in this respect- at least until now. Even the regular police force renowned for its internal brutality will easily overrun our Benin, Niger or Cameroon. For Togo, even the moribund Lagos Fire Service can do the job (joking!).

But can one afford indifference in the face of severe rot? The world is changing, so are the nature of the emerging conflicts. Chadian brigands (terrorists) are continually attacking our borders communities to the North East, yet nothing militarily is being done. In much similar manner, our tiny neighbors are nibbling at our feet both in the Gulf of Guinea and Benin. Our strategic interests are today left unprotected in many countries (Liberia and Sierra Leone) where ridiculous amounts were paid for peacekeeping escapades- installing democracy and peace abroad while we lacked it at home. Cameroon is having a free reign on our eastern flank. Our foreign policy and strategic military planning are terribly out of whack, while outside powers are becoming particularly interested in our region of territorial influence. Short of a political vision analogous to “manifest destiny” or “Monroe doctrine”, we have guarded our rear but left our flack open to unilateral attack. We live in the delusion of buying protection by being nice, while totally discounting the rise of a Mussolini or Hitler on our neck of the wood.

It is understandable that the military of any nation is a symbol of strength, pride and development. In the same breathe a backward fighting force is an image of a caricature banana republic. The sad part of it all is that the raw courage and patriotism of the Nigerian Military in facing any enemy around the world should never be in doubt. Given the difficult environment they operate, they do so remarkably well. But as a nation we have subjected these fighting men and women to untold embarrassment and mental torture. May be that is why they torture us internally in return with guns and whips –paid of course for with our money!

What do you see when you see the soldiers of Nigeria’s Armed Forces? When I saw a soldier man on a road block linking Benin to Warri- what I saw was a face of hunger, mental abuse and psychiatric problem. In his mind while inflicting untold horror on his victims, whom he whipped mercilessly for undisclosed crime, it escaped him he debased and devalued his own humanity (yes, they perform police functions too in your country even getting the dishonorable tasks of guarding ballot boxes- can you imagine?) . In the hot baking sun of the harmattan, this figure of hunger (looking worse than the rag tag force of Charles Taylor) was suffering from mental slavery and periodic madness; a product of under-payment and severe horror of under-appreciation by his fellow citizens. Weighing less than 130 pounds in my estimation, relative to his western hemisphere fighting machine, he looked like a caricature.

He is a crude fighter, best conditioned to whip his own people, his own brothers and sisters instead of the supreme enemy- his masters and our collective tormentors, in the various government houses across our raped land. In the face of external aggression, he will possibly run towards the barrel of the enemy gun in daredevil bravery because he has little to lose. Managing on average salaries of less than three hundred dollars monthly, his wife and children nag him as a zero-achiever. While his friends make headway in the private sector or civil service, augmenting their salaries with whatever private business comes their way (including bribes), this average poorly paid soldier is made to slave away hoping one day to hit it big. This is Nigeria. Dreams do come true. Obasanjo, Danjuma and the overlords of today were once gun totting zombies like him before. He knows it, but also knows his chances. They are very slim. He is frustrated by his country or his countrymen. He is a dangerous internal tool of aggression. This is the picture of the average non-commissioned Nigerian soldier.

Did you see the marching parade of the president’s brigade of guards at his inauguration? You will think all those soldiers will be better fed. With their discolored uniforms and gaunt faces they are hardly a face of gallantry and efficiency. And this is the elite brigade that supposedly guards the president- the President’s own private army! When you meet a member of the US Marine that guards the most powerful man in the world, you need not be told. They are normally tall, well built, look well fed and proudly displaying their biceps which will even intimidate the average Taliban twat: erasing the thoughts of misbehavior. They need not use their expensive tools of warfare like the M-16, the Apache or the F22 Raptor before you respect their efficacy. When Americans say they have the best equipped, best prepared military force in the world- they sure know what they are talking about and it applies to the least of the rank- the common recruit standing guard in front of the White House. But my country is another thing all together.

But we can hardly afford this yet to be unleashed monster. The Nigerian military is in need of reform and the answer is not just pumping more money into it. First we need to answer a very crucial question- can we afford the military we deserve? Can we afford the military as it is currently construed and contorted? With 10% or more of our annual budget already devoted to keeping up this over bloated, under fed and definitely malnourished fighting force, Nigeria can hardly afford pouring more money into this black hole. We should start examining our alternatives so that a new, modern, clean fighting, human right respecting and efficient fighting and enemy killing machine can emerge from the rickety machine we currently parade as a military force before it is too late. Up Nigeria!

Robot  Villager

# 1 The idea of transforming the Nigerian military or making it better used to be alien to Nigeria. N...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 04.12.2007 11:49