If Tinubu believes the Christian Generals in his army are happy, let him think twice- Babangida
Captain Aliyu Babangida (ret. ), CEO of Goldwater Consults and a former military intelligence officer, reportedly discussed President Bola Tinubu’s intervention following the coup in the Republic of Niger in an interview with a correspondent from the Punch paper, which was published online yesterday.
During the interview, Captain Aliyu Babangida was asked why there have been so many military takeovers in West Africa. In response, he claimed that regardless of whether he spoke French or English, the average West African politician is a master of irresponsible and exclusive governance.
What would a Muslim-Muslim ticket for president sound like, he asked? Is it open to everyone? Is it not solely yours? What would you feel if, as a Christian serving in the Nigerian military, you risked your life day in and day out, dodging bullets and dancing around bandits, eventually becoming a General in charge of the fighting force, and then, after four or eight years in office, someone who claims to be a politician came along and insulted every danger you faced by running on a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket?
He compared the country he was discussing to Nigeria, saying it was extremely delicate. Furthermore, ideological wars are the worst kind of warfare. Ideological wars, he remarked, can last for two centuries, whereas economic ones can be resolved quickly.
He warned that if precautions were not taken, ideological divisions such as those between Nigeriens and Nigerians, Anglophones and Francophones, or religiously motivated ones such as Islam and Christianity or Islam and traditional religion, might continue for up to 500 years.
Capt. Aliyu Babangida said, “Now, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expects the Generals who are Christians in his army, to go and be chasing bullets loyally, right? Keep him in the game. I understand that many people lack the intestinal fortitude to voice these concerns, but silence will ultimately prove fatal to our nation. Let Bola Ahmed Tinubu rethink his assumption that his Christian generals are content.
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