Soldiers and officers of the 81 Division in Lagos recently dropped their rifles and took off their uniforms and boots. They donned other clothes and mounted the stage, singing, dancing and showcasing the cultures of different Nigerian communities.
The event was the 2017 end of the year ceremony, commonly called the West African Social Activities (WASA).
The soldiers and their families wore beautiful clothes. They congregated at the parade ground of the Dodan Barracks in the Obalende area of Lagos, venue of the ceremony.
Some came with cultural groups and attire depicting the cultures of their various communities and that of the geo-political zone they originated from, while others showcased different features to entertain their colleagues and others that came to be a part of the ceremony.
The guests, most of whom had never seen military personnel in that form, were surprised to see them dance and showcase the culture of their various communities.
For instance, the Tiv, Ibibio, Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa and Fulani military personnel all let their guards down a bit. They donned traditional clothes and mounted displays celebrating their various cultures.
The barracks’ youths and other youngsters were not left out, as it was a time to showcase their talents and tell the world that talents and various skills abound inside the military.
The youths were given the opportunity during the programme to showcase their talents. Those with an flair for singing provided entertainment for the programme, displaying real, raw talent and amazing creativity to the delight and amazement of the people.
The WASA, according to the most senior military personnel who spoke to Daily Sun, was a source of unity within the barracks.
“When the Tiv and the Fulanis are fighting outside, they are friends here in the barracks, as you can see this afternoon, everyone here is mingling as brothers and sisters,” he said.
Jacob Suleiman, who resides in the barracks, corroborated that assertion.
Said he: “Inside here, there are no states. We’re all Nigerians and we have been living like that. There is absolutely no division.”
Most military officers agreed that the essence of WASA was to remove the obstacles of tribalism and ethnic divisions from the mind of the average soldier, and they pointed to the fact that the entire Nigeria is the constituency of the Nigerian Army.
Most of the officers who spoke with Daily Sun agreed that mingling within the services and interacting at a social event like WASA could cement the widening gulf of sectionalism and tribalism that had been deepened by Boko Haram.
One of the highpoints of the event was the tug of war between the Magajiya (wives of soldiers) and soldiers, in which the Magajiya, who were dressed in combat gear, pulled the soldiers with ease.
A lot of persons present at the event said the soldiers just allowed the Magajiya to pull them without showing any resistance, but the Magajiya themselves said they had shown adequate prowess by pulling the soldiers.
The same event was repeated at the Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (NAEME), where Major General Moses Uzoh was the Corps Commander. It was also staged at the Nigerian Army Finance Corps, where Major General Ezra Jaako was the Chief of Accounts and Budget.
Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Alexander Ogomudia, who spoke to journalists during the programme at the Dodan Barracks, called on the military not to relent in its fight against Boko Haram insurgents in the North East, noting that the total defeat of the group was near
Ogomudia said the military must also cooperate with other security agencies to ensure the defeat of the insurgents, because no single agency could do it alone.
He said: “They must cooperate with other sister agencies. One man cannot do it alone. Every country has its own security challenges, and Nigeria is not an exception. My advice to the military is that, from time to time, they should remain steadfast, have focus and keep reviewing the situation, because the enemy is never constant, it keeps changing. When it changes, you have to change to meet up the challenge.”
He urged civilians to also provide information to the members of the armed forces to enable them tackle the security challenges within the country.
Ogomudia, in his address, said the Nigerian Army must remain focused, dedicated and resilient in order to consolidate the achievements recorded so far.
His words: “You are all aware of the security challenges confronting the nation and the roles each and every one of us has to play to increase the level of security.
“The Nigerian Army has been actively involved in the fight against all forms of insecurity and it has made substantial gains in this fight. This has been made possible by your commitment, dedication, sacrifices and synergy with other security agencies.
“I enjoin you not to rest on your oars but work assiduously with other security agencies towards maintaining and improving the security in the country,” he said.
Ogomudia commended the army for successes recorded in operations such as Operation Crocodile Smile 2, explaining that their “collaboration with members of other security agencies has contributed to the successes recorded in the various internal security operations in Lagos and the country.”
Earlier, in his welcome address, General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen. Enobong Udoh, said that WASA was one of the various ways by which the military was maintaining the customs of the army.
He said
Quote
: “WASA is an event organised usually to mark the end of a tedious training year and to start the beginning of another training year.
“The 2017 training activities, though challenging, were very intensive in the Nigerian Army and in 81 Division for that matter.
“All the various training exercises programmed for the year were successfully held as scheduled.
“Exercises like Python Dance 2 and Crocodile Smile 2 were successfully conducted last year.”
He added that the exercises helped to curtail criminal activities and other crimes perpetrated in the country.
The GOC urged officers and men in the division to remain committed to the discharge of their collective responsibilities of ensuring peace and stability in the new training year
“This is in line with Chief of Army Staff Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai’s vision, which is to have a responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles,” he said.
He corroborated Ogomudia and insisted that soldiers needed to remain focused, dedicated and resilient to consolidate on the achievements so far recorded.
“I also pay my tribute to our fallen heroes who paid the supreme price to keep the country safe,”
he said.“The 2017 training activities, though challenging, were very intensive in the Nigerian Army and in 81 Division for that matter.
“All the various training exercises programmed for the year were successfully held as scheduled.
“Exercises like Python Dance 2 and Crocodile Smile 2 were successfully conducted last year.”
He added that the exercises helped to curtail criminal activities and other crimes perpetrated in the country.
The GOC urged officers and men in the division to remain committed to the discharge of their collective responsibilities of ensuring peace and stability in the new training year
“This is in line with Chief of Army Staff Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai’s vision, which is to have a responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles,” he said.
He corroborated Ogomudia and insisted that soldiers needed to remain focused, dedicated and resilient to consolidate on the achievements so far recorded.
“I also pay my tribute to our fallen heroes who paid the supreme price to keep the country safe,”
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