By Emeka Monye
Last month when it was first reported by one online media of the death of erstwhile Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, now of blessed memory, the Federal government and the Army Authority, denied it, saying that the late army boss was on annual vacation, in the United States.
While the Defence Headquarters issued a press release debunking such reports, accusing the online medium of unprofessional conduct in the discharge of media reportage, the presidency vehemently condemned the report, claiming it was fake news and Nigerians should disregard such a report.
Fast forward some two weeks later, the much talked about runoured death of the former army chief has come to rest with the reality that he is actually dead, according to the press statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, the presidency spokesman.
Bayo Onanuga’s statement reads:
“Announcement of the Passing of Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, regrets to announce the passing of Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, Chief of the Army Staff, at age 56.
He passed away on Tuesday night in Lagos after a period of illness.
Born on February 28, 1968, Lt. General Lagbaja was appointed Chief of Army Staff on June 19, 2023, by President Tinubu.
His distinguished military career began when he enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1987. On September 19, 1992, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Nigerian Infantry Corps as a member of the 39th Regular Course.
Throughout his service, Lt. General Lagbaja demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment, serving as a platoon commander in the 93 Battalion and the 72 Special Forces Battalion.”
The statement by Bayo Onanuga also put to rest speculations about the death of Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff
His death marked the second time, in three years, a Chief of Army Staff, COAS, has died while in office. The first time an army boss died was in May 2021 when Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru died in a plane crash in Kaduna , alongside 10 other officers, including some crew members.
Death is an inevitable end, which every one of us must pay its supreme price, whether old or young, rich or poor, educated or uneducated. However the means, we do not know and so, as humans, our prayer is to live long.
Lagbaja’s death is inevitable because as humans, we are expected to leave this earth at a certain time . It resonates the kind of secrecy that pervades the official circle. Top government officials are always quick to deny claims of the death of high profile public officials, oftentimes dismissing such reports as rumours. Sometimes the public officials tag purveyors of such reports as enemies of the state and busy bodied individuals who are always meddling in other people’s private matters.
Lagbaja’s death reminds us of how, in the quest for power struggles and power play, the death of former President Umaru Yar’Adua, was shrouded in secrecy by the powers that be, around the presidency. The information handlers kept the whole nation in suspense concerning whether Yar’Adua was alive or not. It took the senate to invoke the doctrine of necessity before Goodluck Jonathan could be sworn in as the new president.
Till death, most Nigerians are not too sure of the exact day and date Yar’ Adua passed away. While some say he died on May 9th, a few others believed he died on the 10th of May, 2010, the day Goodluck Jonathan, who was his vice president, was sworn in as president.
Incidentally, the same circumference leading to the death of Yar’Adua that played out, also played out in the case of Taoreed Lagbaja, who until his death, was still in charge of the army, until President Bola Tinubu appointed acting COAS in the person of Major General Olufemi Oluyede, a course mate of the Late former COAS.
Both enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1987 as 39th regular course and passed out in 1992, after spending five years, as young officers with the rank of second Lieutenants.
The Osun state born General’s death also reminds us of how top level government secrecy almost marred the smooth transition of power during the death of General Sani Abacha on June 8th, 1998.
In one of his interviews with one of the national newspapers in the country, the former Chief Security Officer to Late General Abacha, Major Al Mustapha, averred that he had every opportunity to assume the office of the head of state if he wanted to but chose not to do so. Why he didn’t take over as head of state is best known to him.
I remember my neighbour telling us on June 8th, 1998, sometime around 6am that Abacha was dead, even though no Nigeria media had reported the news of his death then. My neighbour who was a ministry worker and now late, told us that he heard it on BBC news that morning. It wasn’t until around 4pm we had that General Sani Abacha was dead. Abacha’s death was kept secret for reasons best known to information handlers at that time.
Scenarios like these where information managers and handlers of public officials horde information from the preying eyes of members of the public oftentimes leave them with speculations. This doesn’t portray the principal in good light and keep the larger public guessing.
As humans and mortals that we are, we are all fallible to the vagaries of nature, including taking ills. Our prayers and hopes are that we don’t take ill during our primes that could lead to our untimely demise
The Late Lagbaja had come, saw and delivered his mandate for his immediate Constituency – the army – and the Nigerian state. His memory can also resonate in the minds and hearts of those he lived for, as one can only wish his family the fortitude to bear the loss of their dear one.
*Emeka Monye Is A Journalist And Works With ARISE NEWS*
