2019: learn from consequences of 1966 civil war – Onaiyekan

*Blood of every Nigerian is precious, don’t allow it to be spilled – Onaiyekan

*Boko Haram: Don’t sweep causes of soldiers death under the carpet – Onaiyekan

With the February general elections fast approaching, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, on Sunday warned that Nigeria should learn from the lessons and consequences of the 1966 civil war.

He gave the warning while delivering the message during the Interdenominational Church Service for the 2019 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration in Abuja.

January 15th every year is marked as Armed Forces Remembrance Day to honour fallen heroes and the living soldiers.

Onaiyekan also pointed out that the blood of every Nigerian is precious and should not be allowed to be spilled even as the February general elections draw near.

He said “Today, we cannot forget that so many have died in our series of self-inflicted killings, in the shameful chain of coups and counter coups. This seems to be the case of the untenable moral lie that might is right. In the logic of these often gory events, those who succeed rule, and grab the highest national honours.

“Those who fail face the firing squad, after secret trials. The issue of right or wrong intentions is conveniently swept aside. We hope we have by now learned our lesson and that we will no longer allow such misuse of our Armed Forces and our military resources.

“I do not know why January 15th has been chosen as the Armed Forces Remembrance Day. But to many people like me, it brings strong memories of that critical day, January 15th, 1966. We must learn lessons from that historic event which marked the beginning of military rule in our country.

“We are still to fully assess, judge and comprehend its deep meaning and consequences for our nation. It started a chain of dramatic events, including the three years civil war which wasted the lives of millions of Nigerians, combatants and non-combatants, men, women and children.

“January 15th should remind us of many pertinent lessons for our present and for our future. Perhaps, the greatest of these lessons is that morally, the end does not justify a wrong means. A good end must be pursued by a good means.” he said

He went on “We cannot undertake a national revolution by murdering unarmed persons in their beds at night. We cannot successfully prosecute a ‘war against indiscipline’ by locking up innocent people for months in dungeons without legal recourse.

“For the same reason, we cannot hope to win the ‘war against corruption’ by ignoring or bye passing basic human rights to the rule of law.

“Furthermore, we must imbibe the lessons of the instability of injustice, the futility of violence, and the imperative of personal conversion and social moral revolution.” he stated

Onaiyekan also warned the security agencies not to put their powers behind injustices and bad governance.

He noted that the responsibility of the Armed Forces is to protect the nation and not to attack anybody.

According to him, keeping an army is not the best defense for any nation, but maintaining good governance and justice.

Read Also: Armed Forces Remembrance Day: IBB tasks Military to evolve New Combat Strategy

He said “Our Armed Forces are under the Ministry of Defence. It is important to note that our Armed Forces are not under the Ministry of Aggression. Therefore, our soldiers have volunteered to defend the nation and not to attack anyone or oppress anybody.”

Onaiyekan also called on the Federal Government not to sweep the causes of the killings of soldiers in the war against Boko Haram under the carpet.

“We remember especially those who have died in the present on-going conflict in the northeast, whether they perished in combat or in an ambush, or as a result of alleged inadequate arms or culpable poor military tactics.

“Complaints in this regard are rife, and they should not be silenced or swept under the carpet. Rather all such complaints ought to be properly investigated and everyone found responsible held accountable, no matter how high up in rank and position. The blood of every Nigerian is precious and must not be carelessly wasted.”

Stressing that Nigerian Armed Forces have been actively involved in promoting world peace, he said that Nigeria’s responsibility for world peace should start from ‘around us.”

While calling for good remuneration for the Armed Forces so that they can perform their responsibilities better, he also urged the government to timely pay the full pensions of retired security personnel.

The failure to pay the pensions of the security personnel, he said, was a national shame that should never have been allowed to occur.