RENEWED NIGERIAN ARMY: THE LAGBAJA STORY ( PART 1
In his renewed hope inauguration speech, President Ahmed Tinubu promised to “defend the Nation from terror and all forms of criminality that threaten the peace and stability of our country”, adding that, “to effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security doctrine and its architecture”. In line with that, the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, appointed the Chief of Defence Staff and other Service Chiefs on 19 June 2023.
Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, the 23rd Chief of Army Staff received the baton from the 22nd Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya (Rtd), on Friday 23 June 2023 during a well-attended ceremony by the Army high commands held at the Army Headquarters in Abuja. During the event, Lagbaja, vowed to reward hard work under his watch while promising to improve on the legacies of his predecessors of a proficient and professional Nigeria Army. Since that day, securednaija have been documenting the activities of the COAS and other service chiefs to scrutinise their activities.
Nevertheless, we have gathered the giant strides taken by this firm and fair leader. In his effort to achieve unique changes in Pride of our Nation and prepare the troops for the challenges ahead, we gathered that General Lagbaja conceptualized a comprehensive Chief of Army Staff Command Philosophy in order to key into the fluid and unpredictable global security architecture. Lagbaja Command Philosophy was given as, “To transform the Nigerian Army into a well-trained, equipped, and highly motivated force towards achieving our (SIC) constitutional responsibilities within a joint environment.”
A microscopic view of this philosophy shows that the statement contains the ingredients of his focus, his vision, and the clear road map on how to revolutionize and transform the Nigerian Army and most importantly to deliver the renewed hope agenda by effectively combating terrorism, insurgency, banditry, secessionists’ agitations, and other threats of criminality across the country. The elements in the philosophy of command include WELL-TRAINED, WELL-EQUIPPED, MOTIVATED FORCES AND JOINTNESS. These 4 elements shall be effectively scrutinized in the preceding paragraphs. But before I discuss his focus, I will like to discuss one fantastic thing I found out about General Lagbaja. This has to do with his CIVIL SUBORDINATION.
CIVIL SUBORDINATION
“The Only Thing Better Than Democracy For Nigeria Is More Democracy” – Lagbaja
At the tale end of his Command Philosophy, he mentioned achieving the constitutional responsibilities of the Nigerian Army which is the protection of the territorial integrity of this great Nation called, Nigeria. This explains that his focus is to win all battles on behalf of Nigerian citizens without any distractions. Lagbaja has in many fora assured the civil authority and the political class of the Nigerian Army’s commitment to Democracy in Nigeria. He has demonstrated his loyalty to the Commander in Chief and his love for the Nation by always calling on the citizens to embrace democracy. He never stopped at that, Lagbaja has always called on his commanders and troops alike to remain apolitical and always remain loyal to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
A thorough assessment of his speeches showed that he always proclaimed his loyalty and that of his troops to the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. No doubt, there was jubilation both in the military and in the civil space on the eve of his appointment which followed a series of commendations to the Eagle-eyed President for appointing a highly professional and respected General, a troop-oriented and compassionate commander to oversee a critical component of our Nation. The success recorded is a testament that President Tinubu never made mistake of appointing Lagbaja as the COAS. Lets now take a look at his journey.
HIGHLY MOTIVATED FORCES
Lt Gen TA Lagbaja’s Command Philosophy is premised on three main pillars: Leadership, Operational Effectiveness, and Sound Administration. In his bid to fulfill the sound administration aspect and a crucial morale-boosting requirement, the Chief of Army Staff initiated tangible welfare packages in line with his commitment to give Nigerian Army personnel and their families the best to get the best out of them.
Seamless Line of Communication
His first giant step in this direction was his visit to troops at the epicenter of the ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the North East code-named Operation HADIN KAI, to assess their state of readiness and obtain first-hand information about their welfare with a view to improving on it. This produced tremendous results which guided the COAS on the journey ahead.
Leadership by Example
“When you lead by example, you do not just push team members towards excellence, rather, you actively demonstrate that excellence” – Lagbaja
In keeping with his commitment to leadership by example, General Lagbaja made efforts to entrench the key leadership values of unity of purpose and mutual trust by promoting the mission command philosophy in which commanders are given tasks/responsibilities and adequately resourced to execute them with little supervision. This created an enabling environment for transparency, accessibility, and inclusiveness within the Nigerian Army.
While this was achieved, Lagbaja further ensured that channels of communication were opened to all personnel, regardless of rank or appointment, to present their concerns, ideas, and suggestions. This openness has no doubt helped to foster the dissemination of critical updates, instructions, and guidance to the entire Service.
A Significant Welfare Breakthrough
This led to a significant welfare breakthrough under Lt Gen Lagbaja as he obtained the Federal Government’s commitment to clear over Eighteen Billion Naira backlog of Group Life Insurance Scheme payments to the Next of Kins of deceased personnel and implementation of the Group Personal Accident Insurance Scheme, which focuses only on death, injury and other incidents of ill-health conditions occasioned by accident.
Adequate Healthcare and Social Interventions
He didn’t stop there, Gen Lagbaja in addition to the scholarships for children and wards of deceased personnel who paid the supreme price, unreserved attention accorded to local and foreign medical treatment of personnel and their immediate families.
Lagbaja has made significant interventions in most of the 129 Nigerian Army medical facilities across the country intending to boost their capacity to effectively handle medical and healthcare exigencies of personnel and their families. This step has reduced to the barest minimal foreign exchange requirement to evacuate personnel and their families abroad for management.
As of date, the following medical centers as been remodeled and commissioned:
- The 401 Special Forces Brigade Medical Centre in Makurdi.
- 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Kaduna now boasts a well-equipped radio diagnostic centre with a 1.5 Tesla Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
While the reforms in the medical facilities are ongoing, personnel, both serving and retired family members, have continued to benefit from local and foreign medical evacuation and treatments. Between 23 June 2023 and 31 May 2024, hundreds of personnel, serving and retired, and many family members benefited from foreign medical evacuation to Israel, Turkey, Egypt, India, and other renowned medical destinations.
Worthy of mention was the child of a serving soldier who benefited from the Nigerian Army foreign medical evacuation effort sequel to a life-threatening heart condition that required surgery procedure that was not available in-country. The child had a successful heart surgery and is presently enjoying a hale and hearty life.
Introduction of Life-Changing Welfare Schemes
Chief of Army Staff made provision of quality and affordable personal home and barracks accommodation a priority of his leadership. Consequently, the first 1000 sets of housing units under the Affordable House Ownership Option for all Soldiers, also known as (AHOOAS) Scheme, designed to alleviate post-service accommodation challenges by soldiers, are nearing completion in the Idu area of Abuja.
As a way of making the scheme inclusive and showing sensitivity to the plight of soldiers with battle disabilities such as blindness, double amputation of the upper or lower limbs, and other similar invalidating combat-related injuries, 5 percent of the AHOOAS’ houses was set aside in each state for allocation to this category of soldiers. The Army Headquarters is to bear a 100 percent cost of houses allocated to this category of soldiers, demonstrating current leadership’s sensitivity to their plight.
Chief of Army Staff introduced other welfare schemes such as the Nigerian Army Welfare Loan (NAWL), COAS Cash Loan Scheme (CCLS), and Chief of Army Staff Personnel Empowerment Loan Scheme (CPELS). The Chief of Army Staff Personnel Empowerment Loan Scheme, effective 30 April 2024. This scheme aims to empower Nigerian Army personnel and their families through investments in Agriculture, Blue-chip Stocks, Skill Acquisition training, Small and Medium Enterprise startups, and Asset Acquisition, among other family-friendly endeavours.
Barracks Maintenance
In keeping with the commitment to ensure conducive working and living conditions for troops and their families, the Chief of Army Staff approved the execution of numerous infrastructural projects. Some of such projects include the recently commissioned living quarters for Army War College Nigeria, the Directorate of Army Public Relations and Department of Army Logistics personnel 30 blocks of flats, 3 renovated and remodeled 12 units of Corporal and Below Quarters in 174 Battalion, and a fire station each at Bonny Cantonment and Ikeja Army Cantonment in Lagos respectively.
Others are the newly constructed Headquarters Central Ordnance Depot Administrative Office Complex to provide requisite logistics support to troops in the front line, Twin Regimental Sergeant Majors Quarters in Port Harcourt, the Ordnance Tailoring Factory, a remodeled Corpers’ Lodge and a new office complex to accommodate the Headquarters 26 Support Engineer Regiment all in Ibadan. Others include newly built accommodation for officers of the Guards Brigade at Wu Bassey Barracks Extension, RSM Accommodation, Guards Guard Room and Medical Reception Station all in Mambilla Barracks, among others in Abuja and the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information permanent site at the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment, Giri, Abuja.
Welfare the Basis for the Huge Result Recorded Within a Year
With these giant strides highlighted above, all focused on boosting the morale of troops, one does not need to imagine for too long how Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja has been able to achieve tremendous operational landmarks within a year. The troops are no doubt highly motivated.
Part 2 of this piece will focus on the second element of Lt Gen Lagbaja’s command philosophy; WELL TRAINED and thereafter, WELL EQUIPED. This will be followed by JOINTNESS and UNIMAGINABLE OPERATIONAL SUCCESSES.
Watchout!!!
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OOA writes from Abuja.
