Buhari Cannot Drop His Title Of General
A title is an appellation of rank or distinction or a formal designation. Our culture requires a title for every man and we cannot ignore this. It is even said that a title-less man is a nameless man.
I heard on Monday that my President-elect General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.) would want to be called and addressed simply as Muhammadu Buhari no more, no less. And in a press release by his Adviser on Media and Publicity Mallam Garba Shehu, had stated that “From May 29, 2015, the President-elect and Vice-President-elect are to be known and addressed as Muhammadu Buhari, President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Professor Yemi Osinbanjo, SAN, Vice-President, Federal Republic of Nigeria”. This is ludicrous as far as no reason has been adduced for the lack of title.
Until a reason is given and if General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.) insists on jettisoning his title as a retired Officer of the Nigerian Army, I strongly believe there will be an exception to the rule. As a matter of fact, the museum should be an exception to the rule as it is a research centre and exhibit stories and properly labeled photographs of General Buhari. The museums cannot change records of their inventory because of the political interest of a personality.
In line with the theme of 2015 International Museums Day celebration which is ‘Museums for Sustainable Society’ the museums aim at fostering unity and creating awareness among the whole society about the current consequences of human action around the world and the absolute necessity of changing its economy and social model. This is also the change Nigerians demanded, not changing title which is fait accompli.
For the benefit of those who are not aware, Nigeria has a military museum known as National War Museum –an outstation of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, located in Umuahia, Abia State capital. The museum houses military hardware put in the line of action during the Nigerian Civil War that lasted from 6th July 1967 – 15th January 1970. It was established in memory of fallen heroes ‘that they did not die in vain’.
General Muhammadu Buhari’s contemporaries might feel comfortable to call him Muhammadu Buhari as is the practice in the force and school, but how will his juniors feel and how will it sound when they call him Muhammadu Buhari? When he was pulled out of the military as a General, he was not expected to pull off his title. He is a General, an army General for life and he was voted for because he is a General.
My President-elect should please keep his title of General.
By Prince Enyi Samuel Imebuogu.
National Museum, Igboukwu.