No, Mr. President, You Got It All Wrong

What national duty was so pressing or urgent that President Buhari and or his vice, Yemi Osibajo, could not be physically present at the funeral of General Ibrahim Attahiru, the Chief of Army Staff and ten other military officers killed in a plane crash in the line of duty? The funeral was at the military cemetery in Abuja, close to Aso Rock, the seat of power. This was the commander of the Nigerian army, duly appointed by Mr. President, who died carrying out his mandate to win victory for Nigeria in her war against terrorism and insecurity. What message was the absence of the Commander-in-chief at the burial of his army commander sending to the troops in the field? Can you imagine Joe Biden or even the unorthodox Donald Trump being absent at the funeral of the US chief of army staff of their government dying in the line at Arlington National Cemetery?

Yes, the President was represented by the Defence Minister. But that was grossly insufficient. And the president’s actions since the funeral seem like an afterthought in my book: cancelling Federal Executive Council and Police Council meetings; giving the military a day off work. These measures are good. The national flag flying at half-mast is what these warriors deserve. But these actions could have still been done with the President attending the funeral.

Actions are symbolic. Moreso, in leadership-related matters. While Buhari’s presence at the funeral would not have brought the officers back to life or removed the grief of their loved ones, it would have sent a definite message that our President cares; that the sacrifices of our uniformed men and women touches their C-in-C; that he is working assiduously to take care of them as they put their lives on the line for Nigeria.

A short historical perspective my help readers appreciate what is at stake here. During the US civil war from 1861-65, a widow called Lydia Bixby lost five sons who died on the side of the Union forces. The Union forces may be equated with the Nigerian military during Nigeria’s own civil war while the Confederates approximate the Biafran secessionists.

Note: none of Bixby’s boys was an officer. Yet, on learning of this sacrifice, the Union President, Abraham Lincoln, wrote a letter to the woman expressing the national grief and appreciation of her sacrifice. The letter was written on November 21 1864 and delivered to Mrs. Bixby on November 25.

Let Buhari and other Nigerian leaders show that they appreciate ‘so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom’ by our uniformed men and women. The line in quotes is from the letter.

Henry Chukwuemeka Onyema is a Lagos-based author, teacher and historian. Email: [email protected]