Younger generations of Nigerians would not know the famous mad dog story involving late Chief MKO Abiola and troops of the Nigerian Army. Oral account had it that Retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar as a middle Cadre Senior Officer led that operation.
Lt. AM Yerima of the Nigerian Navy is equivalent to Captain in the Nigerian Army for those who may not know. The restraint that young officer exhibited today is typical of Nigerian Armed Forces officers. They can be complete gentlemen until you threaten their life which Minister Nyesom Wike’s DSS detail almost did.
Ironically, if those guys were not Navy, but Nigerian Army, the story would have been slightly different.
Lt. Yerima showed leadership, discipline, composure, and respect. A Chief Security Officer to a retired 3 Star General is no tea party. Yerima showed he earned that position. He led from the front and not from back thereby protecting his men.
If you know how land issues are resolved in Nigeria, especially in Abuja, you won’t blame retired Vice Admiral Gambo for the steps he took to protect that property. If he had not used his own “power” to stop Wike, you will wake up to a revocation and reallocation announcement, and that would be the end.
Many may not know, on his last two monthly media charts, Wike made reference to retired Vice Admiral Gambo and that land, threatening fire and brimstone. It seems premeditated, and the former Naval Chief was prepared for him.
Public service requires certain decorum. A public servant who holds an office in trust for the people don’t go about insulting citizens. In this case, a commissioned officer in uniform. That was not only wrong, it demeans that office and any of its type across the nation. I mean office of a minister of the republic.
Wike should not have gone there in person, but delegate subordinates. Should such illegality if at all it is, continues, there are avenues the minister would have utilised to resolved this. Infact, the court would have been his final resort to nail the Naval Chief.
But his bragadacio and abusive language, couple with unprotocol acts show the kind of individual he is and his leadership style.
In all this, Wike’s ADC played the right card. He it was who called the CDS and handed the phone to Wike. Ordinarily, after speaking with General Oluyede who also spoke with the Navy Leautenant, Wike should have just backed off. But no, he went into the gutters, but Yerima understand that you don’t fight the pig, you get dirty and it enjoys it. Yerima defensively played the victim and triumphed.
Between Yerima, a Navy Leutenant and General Oluyede the CDS, there is about 6 to 7 yawning gaps in rank; Captain, Major, Lt. Col., Col. Brig. Gen., Lt. Gen., and Gen. Imagine reporting a pupil for late coming to a school proprietor. Haba.
I prayed the Nigerian Navy and the powers that be don’t end up throwing Lt. Yerima under the bus.
Wike should know that no one is indispensable. He should also know that Abuja no be Port Harcourt. The celebration of his humbling by a Navy Leautenant by majority of Nigerians, is a wake up call to many a Nigerian public office holders, especially politicians.
As e de pain Wike, e de sweet many Nigerians.
For Lt. Yerima’s candor, Wike would have met the repeat of late MKO Abiola’s mad dog scenario in a more brutal condition.
For now, we keep our fingers crossed, observing. We as ordinary Nigerians like Lt. Yerima are not fools.
