…calls for improved funding for defence, concerted efforts to tackle security

…we’re sustaining writing excellence – Abuja ANA chairman

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – FORMER Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Lucky Irabor (Retd), weekend, reaffirmed that he will keep writing as his contribution to defence and security in Nigeria.

Gen Irabor stated this on the sidelines of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, June Reading & Writing Dialogue with the theme ‘A Soldier, Gentleman, and Writer: A Literary Excursion with General Lucky Irabor, ‘ held in Abuja.

He said: “Having been involved in defence and security for close to four decades, I thought that I have something to contribute that will advance the course of defence and security in Nigeria. And this is the reason why I wrote, and I will keep writing.

He also alluded to the fact that the ‘pen is stronger than the gun’, “Yes, I do because now that I am a writer, I have seen the wisdom in that saying, and just as I also referred to in my remarks, that the gun, or if you like the sword, brings an end to a story while the pen or a book starts a conversation, starts another story. So this is it. So every story, there are perspectives, and those perspectives can only be understood if they are annotated in writing.”

However, the former CDS said the time in office cannot be compared to what is happening in the country as far as insecurity is concerned, “Well, every environment and every time, there is always a time and season.

“So there will be no need for periodic comparative analysis. Rather, it is to seek collective solutions to the problems that we have.”

He further stated that there is the need for concerted efforts to tackle the current security challenges plaguing the country, “What is of interest is the fact that we have not been able to resolve our security challenges and we need concerted efforts to be able to resolve it.

“This is the task, and this is the charge to everyone to make his or her contribution towards that effort. So, you have been talking about funding for the military and paramilitary.”

Speaking on the issue of funding and welfare of officers and men of the Nigerian military, he said the government is doing a lot in that regard; however, a lot needs to be done.

“Well, it is not my personal assessment; rather, it is to see what is happening and to be able to give one’s view. I believe that even though a lot has been done, much more can still be done.

“So it is in that context that I believe that the book (SCARS: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum) I have written will also contribute to helping the government to properly prioritise the resourcing of the defence and security forces to the good of the state, as well as, of course, advancing the cause of peace and security in Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the host of the event and Chairman, ANA, Abuja Chapter, Arc. Chukwudi Eze, explained that, “Today, we have not just brought in a General, we have brought the head of the security institutions, a kind of field marshal, the head of Army, Air Force and Navy, and also Chairman, Chief of Defence Staff to be our guest, and you can see that he is able to delve intelligently, resourcefully, with issues of challenges of war and what solutions he provides to help us out of these challenges.

“You can see that the next generation of archivists are here. We have kids who are eight, 12, 13, who have written books, and you can imagine what they will do when they are 20. So one is to make sure that the written craft and the spoken word attains a vibrancy that is consistent with the greatness of this nation, Nigeria, because if you look at our inheritance, or our heritage in terms of global literary space, you have the Achebes and you have the Wole Soyinkas. The best of the best have always come from Nigeria, and so it is our job, we believe, to make sure that that tradition of excellence in writing, in literature, is sustained.”

Also, the Head, Outreach and Partnerships, ANA, Abuja Chapter and Founder/CEO LightRay! Books and Creative Society, Lady Ejiro Umukoro, explained that ANA Abuja every year organize a series of activities done monthly, and in June, a General (Irabor), who also happens to be a writer for this particular discussion, was brought in a guest to discuss pertinent issues concerning the security of the country and how to take writing and reading to the next level.

“ANA advocates for the documentation of our histories and the remembrance of the lessons learned. Bringing the General today, who happened to be a writer; he has taken on a particular issue in Nigeria that is significant to our survival. Any country that does not have its own histories documented is a civilisation that will go underwater.

“The only civilised country in this world today is those countries that keep their histories, document who they are, understand the policy gaps that they have, and then begin to do proper governance to the implementation of the general impact they want to see for a better society. At the end of the day, what we represent, and that’s also what we represent at LightRay! Media, is about advocating for the reading culture, not social media reading, not internet reading, but the reading of depth of issues. Writers are the ones who project what the future will be. Writers are the ones who document our stories and call attention to issues that need solutions”, Umokoro stated.

Also panelists including Prof. Onyinye Nwagbara, Prof. Okey Ikechukwu, and Prof. Razinat Muhammed, discussed with Gen Irabor, who was the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafia Dole in the North East region of the country in the counter-terrorism fight against Boko Haram Insurgence on, pertinent security issues and sort his views about them.

Meanwhile, there were cash prizes for poetry & prose, certificate presentations to pupils and students for being outstanding, while others did an Open Mic Contest to draw the attention of government to the recent kidnapping of schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno States, and some authors also presented their works.