When Oborevwori, Okowa, others honoured Irabor

“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” It is one of the timeless quotes from the late 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. For the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, the nuance in those words of the former American president is instructive because East or West, home, many say, and home is always the best. After a meritorious service to the country, his ‘angel mother,’ the Ika Nation rolled out the red carpet to welcome him back home. July 8 was the date, Agbor, a sprawling community in Delta State was beehive as elders, and leaders of thought, serving and former governors, as well as top military brass converged to honour the gallant ex-CDS. The role call included the chief host, the state governor, Sheriff Oborevwori who led his deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor; immediate past governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; Dr Onyeagwu; Chairman of Thisday/Arise News, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; veteran journalist, Chief Nduka Irabor to the event that had the trappings of a cultural carnival. The list also included the Dein of Agbor, Dr Benjamin Ikenchukwu; the Obi of Owa, Dr Emmanuel Efeziormor; Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo; Senator Uche Ekwunife; General Nicholas Aigbogun (retd). Rear Admiral N Agholor, Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo and a quintessential leader, Dr. Festus Okubor Other top federal and state government officials; serving and former governors, members of the Parliament, of distinguished diplomats and media practitioners were among the dignitaries whose presence further revved up the resonance of another quotes of Lincoln: “I am a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn’t have the heart to let him down.”

Irabor spent 37 years in the military, where he distinguished himself as a thorough-bred, disciplined and resourceful professional and witnessed a meteoric rise to the top hierarchy of the revered institution, especially because of his unblemished record of tenure and service to his fatherland. So, the decision of his kinsmen in the Ika Nation which comprises the two local governments, Ika North-East and Ika South, as well as parts of Edo State resolved to a befitting homecoming for their good ambassador of the Ika nation resonated with lots of persons from far and near. It would be recalled that just a month ago, the people also organized a grand ceremony to mark the homecoming of another distinguished son, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa at the end of his two terms of eight years as the governor of Delta State. The import of the two historic events was underscored by the Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Dr Ebenezer Onyeagwu, one of the guests at the July 9 garlands for Irabor. He noted that the Ika Nation has produced more than a proportionate number of dignitaries in the major professions, sports and arts in the polity that surpass its estimated 600,000 population. Onyeagwu doubles as the chairman of the Committee of Bank chief executives was among the outstanding senior citizens drawn from across professions and from within and outside Ika Land. Irabor’s successor, Major-General CG Musa with his wife who also hails from Delta State, were there. Musa led other top military brass to show appreciation to the former defence chief. Former military chiefs, including General Alex Ogomudia (retd), General Azubike Ihejirika, who Irabor claimed availed him with fundamentals that led to his Yeoman’s job during military operations against terrorism, banditry and insurgency in the North-East, upped the ante at the reception.

The occasion afforded the dignitaries to speak frankly about the lifestyle, pedigree and background of the ex-CDS, with a douse of wise cracks to the admiration of the audience. For instance, Dr Onyeagwu, who spoke of the dignity of men and women of Ika land that produced prodigies from the region in the professions, joked about the great disappointment from Irabor in going to Ika Grammar School, Agbor instead of the Saint Columbus College that he Onyeagwu attended. Noting that Irabor must have excelled in discipline and military prowess to have risen to the top of the armed forces, the banker added: “For you to get to the rank of General in the military, you must have passed through a lot of discipline; a lot of regimentation. You don’t get there by mere announcement; you work your way through. So today, we celebrate a man, who has worked assiduously, meritoriously, dedicatedly to become a Chief of Defence Staff of our nation, Nigeria.”

Former governor, Senator Okowa said he was enthralled by the capacity, character, discipline and comportment that Irabor symbolized, just as he acknowledged the general acclaim on the military prowess of the General. Okowa equally lauded the virtue of discipline that Irabor’s spouse, who is a lawyer, Victoria, helped to bring on the family while the general was in the ballet field. Okowa perhaps recalling the encomiums poured on his children for not bringing disgrace to his family when he was governor as were harped during his homecoming, Mrs Victoria Irabor for the discipline she sustained at the home front. Okowa said such balance was necessary because if a wife is not able to maintain discipline and stability at home, that could constitute an encumberance in the husband excelling in his place of work and profession.

For the media guru, Prince Obiagbena, the dignity and capacity that Irabor brought to his duties as CDS was encouraging and a thing of pride to the people. He said Irabor’s record and character deserves emulation. In his remarks, Governor Oborevworihis expressed his delight that the erstwhile CDS was a worthy ambassador, who hails from Delta State. He particularly commended the Ika Nation for the unity that they showed in bringing themselves together to organise the reception and urged them to sustain the conviviality of the Ika people with other ethnic nationalities in the state. Highly elated by the large turnout of dignitaries across the nation and the presence of the different clans in Ika Nation at the ceremony, Governor Oborevwori said: “You can see that this is not a hired crowd. You can see that the unity of the Ika nation has brought about this hosting. God will bless Ika nation. As governor it is my duty to encourage other ethnic nationalities to continue to unite and to host their own and that will spur them to continue to do more. A lot has been said about our brother General Irabor. As a speaker in the seventh Assembly, the lot that he has done I am aware and he was upgraded and almost at the point of retirement, he was made the Chief of Defence Staff and putting another 29 months. He has done very well as a brilliant officer. One thing I find about him is that he is someone that has a passion to serve. He is committed, very focused in all his doing and I am very sure that the person that has taken over from you, CG Musa is somebody that I know for almost two decades is also a fine officer and I know with him peace will come to this nation.”  Oborevwori noted that though the former CDS is from Delta, his successor also has a link to the state as his wife hails from the state.

Indeed, it was a historic moment in the life of General Irabor. Adorned in Ika costume with a walking stick, he moved majestically to the rostrum with his wife beside him. He was full of appreciation and joy to all present and the organizers, and particularly lauded Governor Oborevwori, who he said shelved other tight schedules, to attend his pull-out ceremony from the military. The ex-CDS also expressed his appreciation to the traditional rulers from Ika Nation; those who helped in raising him up, including a prominent leader, Dr Festus Okubor who stands for his father-in-law, as well as those who helped him to achieve his laurels in the military arena. Irabor also spoke on what Nigerians should expect following the change of baton in the military top echelon. Asserting that the peace of the nation was guaranteed with the appointment of Gen Musa and the new service chiefs, Irabor said: “I am glad that your pedigree is well-known and I am happy that no other person was chosen to be the Chief of Defence Staff at this time. Let me use this opportunity to assure the nation that with CG Musa as CDS, we certainly are well pleased and the security and defence of our nation is in good hands. The growth and development of the Armed Forces is in good hands and so be rest assured that Musa along with his team of service chiefs will do the best to ensure that they increase or escalate the approaches that we have established to ensure that within our nation that there will be no problem of insecurity.”

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