By Kingsley Omonobi, Abuja

Nigerians are famous for always seeking divine intervention to their problems or challenges confronting them. Indeed most of them believe that it is only fervent prayer that can get their problems solved. And when that which is desired do come to pass, it is celebrated as a miracle.

It is in this contest that some may situate the case of Major General Daniel Bako, who was decorated at the weekend with the full regalia of a two- star General in the Nigerian Army, a development that has set tongues wagging within military and non-military circles.

*Major General Bako(m) being decorated by General Ihejirika(l) and Mrs Rahila Bako

Major General Bako, a Course 24 regular intake of the Nigeria Defence Academy, after enlistment, progressed through the approved channels of promotions and postings until he became a Brigadier General in the Finance Corp where he served, not necessarily by choice since he had originally wanted to be in the Artillery Corps.

All along, the senior officer, who was the Director of Finance and Accounts at Defence Headquarters before his promotion, was reputed to have shunned matters of corruption and carried out his duties strictly in accordance with the dictates of whichever office he found himself at particular times.

He was said to have been very strict with the rules and when there was money remaining from projects or operations, he readily declared such to the chagrin of his superiors, colleagues or the establishment as the case may be.

Being the very strict Christian that he is, nobody found him stepping out of line on matters bordering on diverting funds and engaging in other self-enrichment dealings to the detriment of the Nigerian Army.

But in spite of his clean record in this regard, this fine officer soon found himself faced with retirement as a Brigadier General for reasons other than the fact that he has remained steadfast and righteous in the discharge of his duty.

Therefore, the unexpected elevation of Bako to the rank of Major General by President Goodluck Jonathan based on the recommendation of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika, in mid-year, the first of its kind in the annals of the Nigeria Army, has been severally described as a miracle, something only common in the civil society.

His promotion elicited tears and excitement from officers and soldiers because they said he is someone who will ensure everybody gets what is due to him or her no matter the rank.

It would be recalled that Bako who got promoted from Colonel to Brigadier General on July 11, 2006, was awaiting the collection of his retirement letter last December.

His fellow Brigadier-General colleagues spent only two years on that rank before being elevated to the rank of Major-General. His retirement letter was kept in abeyance and when a letter eventually came, it was that of a promotion.

Speaking while decorating the Plateau State-born General in Abuja at the weekend, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ihejirika described Bako as a distinguished Nigerian who has excelled in his career as a finance officer in the Army, noting: “Bako is an officer of impeccable integrity, very honest, diligent and hard working; he did all he could to uplift the environment of the military wherever he was posted to”.

General Ihejirika specifically pointed to the several achievements he recorded under the administration of former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike and declared that the ingenuity of Major General Bako contributed towards those achievements in provision of accommodation, logistics and carrying out of operational exercises that were successfully implemented.

According to Ihejirika, who was then Director of Engineering and subsequently, Chief of Logistics to Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike (rtd). “Whenever the then CDS came out with very laudable programmes that had to do with troops welfare either in foreign peace support operations, IS operations, accommodation, logistics, etc, the next question was, when will the money come.

I was the one at the centre of the accommodation and infrastructure and I know how difficult is getting money, at least from the Army before I was posted to Defence.

“But Bako will call me 24 hours later and say, ‘Oga, when are you coming to collect the money, it is ready’. Unsuspecting that it is money for the project, I would ask, which money; as I was not expecting any allowance. He will shock me by saying it is money for the project.

That was how we were able to achieve so much under Air Chief Marshal Dike and for that I think he deserves the rank of Major General in the Nigerian Army”.

General Bako, a devout Christian, was at several times, Director of Finance and Accounts, Defence Intelligence Agency, Director of Finance and Accounts, Defence Headquarters, Commandant, Nigeria Army Finance School, Chief Instructor at Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.

He became a chartered accountant in 1990 and is a fellow of the Institute of Taxation of Nigeria .

In his response after the decoration, Major General Bako gave thanks to God and the Chief of Army Staff for his promotion, saying: “It was God’s doing, as the is the first time in the Army that a Major General is being promoted and decorated mid -year. It has never happened before”.