How I escaped death during Civil War – 80-year-old retired soldier
For how long did you serve in the Nigerian Army?
I joined the army on January 25, 1968. I was trained in Ikeja for six weeks. As soon as I completed my training, from the depot, we were moved to Benin City (in Edo State) for two weeks. When I couldn’t bear the treatment, I decided to opt for operations, that is, the theatre of war. The theatre of war was in the Onitsha unit. I was from the engineering unit, and I handled explosives and other things and the movement of soldiers in the water. We were known as water engineers. We operated in the Niger Delta. I was there for some period.
Even during the Biafran War, I was lucky that I didn’t swim with the soldiers in the river at that time because my colleagues who did were all killed. However, there was a soldier called ‘Asaba Hitler’. He was the only one fortunate to escape out of the seven soldiers. That is a brief narration of my time in military service.
Can you remember how your colleagues were killed during the Civil War?
It happened during the second invasion of (the) Biafran soldiers in Asaba during the Civil War. We used to camp near the Niger Bridge and, one fateful night, I made the decision to cross over to Onitsha, leaving my comrades behind. That very night, Biafran forces invaded the area, leading to the tragic loss of my fellow soldiers. Only one person, ‘Hitler’, managed to escape, and I had earlier mentioned him. Unfortunately, I cannot recall the names of the others who perished.
Certainly, Asaba had been under their control for a considerable time, and they sought alternative routes to access the area. The bridge served as the primary connection to Onitsha, and on the side of the bridge was where our engine boat was stationed for crossing. During that period, the Niger Bridge was rendered unusable due to damage. The attackers had a clear motive – to destroy our means of communication. This was why they chose to launch their invasion under the cover of night, aiming to control the region by taking over that vital point of connection.
Did you retire from the army?
Yes, indeed, I did.
When did you retire from the army?
I retired in 1992.
What was your rank when you retired?
I held the rank of warrant officer.
How do you feel turning 80, having served in the military?
Well, I would say I feel fulfilled and it has been the help of God all through.
Where did you grow up?
I was born and nurtured in Lagos. I am an Ilaje ‘boy’ from Ondo State.
What was your childhood experience like?
I grew up a typical village man. I didn’t know about education until I was about 13 to 14 years old. It was the free education introduced by (the late Chief Obafemi) Awolowo in 1955 that allowed me to go to school. Without that, I wouldn’t have had the privilege to go to school. I attended primary school, finished in 1960, and proceeded to secondary school. I did other studies and developed myself. When I finished, I joined the army and moved to combat engineering. I cannot remember the years I spent there because I had cumulative years of courses that lasted for between six months to one year. However, I am a specialist in bridge construction.
Did you attend a tertiary institution before joining the army?
No, I couldn’t further my education beyond secondary school. It was after secondary school that I joined the army.
What was the reaction of your parents when you informed them about your decision to join the Nigerian Army?
I did not even disclose it to my mother, because it was during the Civil War. However, when she heard, she was troubled. I believed in God to protect me.
Did your father support you?
No, my father did not support me. In fact, no one did, but I supported myself.
How did the military affect you?
It exposed me to a lot of things and made me know that I can compete with any graduate. I can express myself fluently. Those are some of the things I gained in the military.
What was your most memorable experience?
I think that will be about the incident I shared earlier with you – the Biafran War. However, there was time I went to Lebanon for an operation. The engineering unit normally sends people on attachments. I was the least ranked soldier who led an engineering crew to Lebanon.
Why do you think the leadership of the army allowed you to lead at that level?
The reason for this is that I do not fear I am a very bold person. After that operation, I was recommended to be promoted to the rank of an officer. So, in my career as a soldier I was recognised. Whatever you are doing, do it diligently so that God can reward you.
How did you meet your wife?
Before I joined the army, we were together and dating. When we were dating, I promised her that I would marry her. We later got married and we had children.
What convinced you to marry her?
She is a lucky woman because I was a decent boy, and I had decided that I would not marry any woman I had intercourse with before marriage. There was nothing of such during our years of courtship. She kept herself and that was why I decided to marry her. God has been so faithful to us. We have spent over 50 years as a couple, and none of my children can say that I have treated her badly. I have never raised my hands against her since we got married. The love is strong and the bond is there. This is despite the fact that some people believe that soldiers are wicked and are womanisers. I am not that type of person. I only married one woman.
What has kept us is the love of God. Love supersedes everything. There is no perfect human being. When you call the attention of your partner to their mistakes. Don’t let anything affect that love. If your partner understands you, they will leave you at that moment of your anger to come back when you have calmed down. And then you sort out things amicably without any intervention of a third party. What has kept our marriage is that since we have been married, there has been no interference from the third party in our lives. We both correct ourselves. Some men bully their wives, but in my heart, I made up my mind never to raise my hand to beat my wife. As a Christian, you should be able to control your temper.
How old is your wife and where is she from?
My wife is old as well. She should be 75 years old or thereabout. She is from Ogun state. We met in Lagos.
How old were you when you got married?
I must have been 26 or 28 years old.
What are the things young people should look out for before getting married?
First of all, as a lady or man, don’t marry from a broken home. A broken home is hazardous. Either man or woman, don’t marry from a broken home. Don’t allow the things of this world to entice you. Build yourselves together. It’s better than artificial love. Don’t let money or anything artificial build your love. To be decent as a young person is very good. And know your God. If you are a Muslim, be a Muslim. And if you are not a believer, let people know you for who you are. We deceive ourselves with a lot of things. A Christian says he is a Christian, but he is not living his life as a Christian, likewise a Muslim.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while raising a family?
Well, for a while after marriage, there was no conception, and there was pressure here and there. But we believed in God and God answered us. We eventually lost that child but we had another one. We had nine children but are left with just three.
How were you able to get over the loss of your children?
I am the type of person who believes in God. I don’t succumb to suggestions, especially useless ones. I believe in God that whatever I am passing through, he can take care of it and that is what has sustained me up till today.
What hobbies and activities have brought you the most fulfilled joy in life?
I have travelled to many places, but I cannot count them. I didn’t only travel but lived in many places, including Benin City and Sapele (in Delta State). I was a sportsman. I participated in many games when I was in the army, but now that I am getting old, my game is the Bible; nothing more. Moving closer to God is the best.
What are your thoughts on the role of family and community in the olden days compared to now?
The families of nowadays have failed in terms of training their children and giving them moral education. Technology has had effects as well; it has destroyed the lives of many children out there. In those days, if you stole, your family might reject you or say that you are no longer part of them, but nowadays, some parents will even embrace their act of stealing by their children which is wrong.
Some parents are even celebrating their children who are into fraudulent activities like Yahoo Yahoo and the rest. The truth is, if you look for a shortcut to becoming a wealthy person, you will die suddenly, if we don’t change and live our lives righteously. We shouldn’t do things that will hurt others. If you hurt someone in order to be rich, you will be killed, it is what you sow that you will reap. We need to work on training our children the right way.
How were you able to adapt to the changes that come with leaving military service?
God has been helping me. I take important health instructions. Whenever I go to the hospital, my doctor advises me and I stick to the instructions. That is how my wife and I live our lives. I have been able to adapt to the changes in healthcare easily. Old people need to live a healthy life. As an old man, I don’t eat anyhow; too much fat is not good for old people, and I do lots of exercise. At my age, I still wash my clothes myself and iron them too. I can’t wear clothes that are not ironed. There are things you should do as an old person that will keep you healthy. I see it (ironing) as a form of exercise. As an elderly person, you don’t need to be lazy; get something done, get busy to stay healthy.
Nigeria marked its 63rd anniversary recently. What are your thoughts about the state of the nation?
I pray that there should be a change in Nigeria. With all our resources, our children cannot attend good schools. Parents have to be extremely rich to train their children academically. This self-centered life needs to be addressed, otherwise, I see riots and disaster happening in Nigeria, but I pray it will not happen if the challenges are addressed. Nigeria will be good if our leaders can stop living life-centered lives. As a leader, your reward is in heaven.
Looking back, what do you consider your greatest accomplishment?
My accomplishment is that I live a normal life and God has been faithful. My moment of sorrow was when I lost one of my daughters. She is my replica. We looked and behaved so much alike, even though she was a woman.
What are the morals you’ve instilled in your children?
Well, I would say I gave them proper home training. I pray that they live the way I taught them. They should be self-reliant, and never rely on anyone because if you are self-reliant you can never be disappointed. If you rely on friends, they can leave you disappointed. However, if God is your backbone, nothing will move you. I also taught them self-discipline, developing self-control and self-discipline will help them to manage their impulses, set goals, and make responsible choices.
Patience is another moral virtue I instilled in them. I told them that no matter what they go through in life, they have to wait for their delayed gratification and persevere through difficult tasks or situations. The advice I have for the younger generation is to live their lives for Christ and not for anybody.
