ZION B-BC NEWSLETTER. [ A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. ] { VOL. 2. NO 44. 15-06-14.} “THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD!” The Nigerian Armed Forces High Command should not behave like the proverbial OSTRICH or the extinct DODO, which buried its long neck in the sand in an effort to hide from some danger, but forgot that its entire, very huge body was exposed to attack! We have very great respect for the Nigerian Army to which the public is more conversant among the others in the TRIANGLE –The Navy and Air Force. We regard them as very fine and disciplined gentlemen, in spite of the rigours and hazards of training. Nigerians soldiers have, up to this 21 Century made us proud as a nation through diligent and efficient comportment in internal/international engagements and assignments. Our soldiers have performed creditably in both domestic and international engagements with accolades and laurels. The colonial Royal Army metamorphosed into The Nigerian Army at Independence in 1960 and was drafted to assist during the Congo Crisis of early sixties, engaged the ‘Biafran soldiers’ during the 30-month Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), the First and Second Liberian Civil wars of the nineties, the Sierra Leone Civil War of the late eighties/nineties, the conflicts of the Niger Delta militants, during the military regimes and the Northern Mali Conflict of 2012 to date. They also served as Peace –Keeping Forces with the United Nations and as the pillar of the ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] cease-fire Monitoring Group [ECOMOG], in Liberia and Sierra Leone! The Nigerian Armed Forces active personnel of the Army, Navy and Air Force, is approximately 200.000 troops and 300.000 para-military and has developed a strong military COUP CULTURE between 1966-1999, during which TEN COUPS took place! Recently these ‘fine and disciplined gentlemen’ clamped down on the Nigerian Press, accosted circulation van drivers, seized and destroyed large consignment of newspapers, detained both vans and drivers of several publishing companies and deprived the reading public access to information, by their operatives at Abuja, Warri, Kano and Kaduna, all in the name of searching for arms allegedly being ferried for insurgents with the vans! Specifically, The Daily Trust, The Nation, The Leadership, Vanguard, The Punch and International Business Times, were targeted in the sudden assault on The Fourth Estate of the Realm, as the Press is described by the British government, that is, in succession to the Three Arms of Government, the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, the Press is next. The Nigerian Press is recognized in Chapter II Section 22, of the 1999 Constitution and saddled with the following responsibilities: “ The Press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.” In other words, the Nigerian Media is the WATCH DOG of the good citizens of this great nation and has every right to report all activities of government, public or private, for everyone to rightly conclude whether or not, they deliver on their promises! The Nigerian Army as a security institution is a SERVANT to the masses –including the journalists - and there is no way the servant will become greater than his MASTER! Members of the Nigerian Press, stand out as, one of the most vibrant, brilliant, intelligent, sagacious, articulate, dedicated, patriotic courageous and fearless professionals in the world! When it comes to historical analysis, the Nigerian journalists is a COLOSSUS, among the patriots who fought the colonialists hands down in the struggle to our cherished independence – no wonder it is said that, “THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD, to emphasize that, thinking and writing have more influence on the people and events than the use of force and violence! Has the Army forgotten so easily, pre-independence journalists and writers like our first President, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Herbert Macaulay, Obafemi Awolowo, Anthony Enahoro, Othman Dan Fodio, Adamu Ciroma, Olabisi Onabanjo, Babatunde Jose, Peter Enahoro, Alade Odunewu, etc. who fought the British colonialists WITH THE PEN and won on a platter of gold. Have they also forgotten the late nineties ABACHA infamous efforts to frustrate and muzzle the Press and how the Press fought back fearlessly in spite of his brutality against the masses with the guns and ammunitions purchased with the TAXPAYERS MONEY? The army should be reminded that either, during their inglorious 29years of military rule or now that they are JUST ONE of the several institutions of government, we the masses of Nigeria will remain their MASTER, whether they like it or not because we equip them and PAY THEIR SALARIES! They have no right whatsoever to maltreat any citizen of this nation, rich or poor, great or small, old or young; if they are frustrated, they can always resign and look for other means of livelihood instead of venting unjustified anger on the poor innocent citizens who eek their daily bread without any contribution from the political vultures of this nation! Before this development, the Army High Command had been under serious criticisms by Governor Kashim Shettima of Bornu State, some Northern Legislators and a section of the Press on its handling of the Boko Haram insurgency which escalated since 2011 and more importantly, with the abduction of the 273 Chibok Government Secondary School girls on February 14, 2014! First, it was alleged that Boko Haram had superior weapons than our combatants, and also, that their fighting morale dampened because they were being short-changed by their superiors! Again, we heard that, soldiers “mutinied twice” and shortly after that, a General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the newly birthed 7 Division, Maiduguri, was redeployed to Defence Headquarters and replaced due to protests by the other ranks! Thereafter, it was rumoured that “some Generals”, were being court-martialled; but all of the above were denied by the Federal Government, which claimed there was no iota of truth in all allegations until the recent clamp down on the print media! However in a dramatic twist, the Daily Trust bold headline of June 6, 2014 says, “Military Wares Issues Being Handled – says Jonathan.” The paper reported that the President was ‘tackling the inadequate equipment for the military,’ thereby exonerating Governor Shettima! In another headline titled, “Army Poorly Funded”, the same paper reported that a Nigerian Army General, during a lecture at the Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State, said, and we quote, “Currently, budgetary allocation to the military is inadequate to meet the contemporary security challenges and also cater for the welfare of the Nigerian Army.” Since this barbaric attitude on the print media of the 21 Century, there were also other newspaper commentaries as follows: *“…….the era of impunity associated with the military dictatorship should not be resurrected under a ‘democratically elected government’.” *The military and other security agencies must restrict themselves to the protection of our sovereignty and go after those threatening this country with violent attacks that have almost disappointingly overwhelmed those paid to protect lives and property.” *Nigerian Army immersed in bureaucratic bottlenecks for the funding approvals for military operations. Army budget for 2014 is N4.8billion naira…..etc.” In spite of the press and public outcry over this military high-handedness, Army spokesman and Director, Defence Information, maintained that privileged security information revealed that the newspaper vans in question were being used to convey arms and ammunition to the insurgents, though, no such merchandise have been discovered so far but that it was in the interest of Nigerians that security measures should be taken to forestall any such possibility! The Word of God says, “Thou shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall set you free.”[John.8:32]; and the truth is that the Nigerian Army is on edge and seeks a SCAPE GOAT to vent its anger on; but unfortunately they have looked in the wrong direction! What is wrong with an untainted, highly dedicated and professional Press operating freely under the FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, unfettered, un-intimidated and un-harassed in a DEMOCRACY? Now that the ARMY’S GROUSE is now in the public domain, should any further ‘hide and seek’ exist, because it is expedient that we should all work as partners in progress for our nation! *Government should act very fast, raise A TASK FORCE OF HONEST NIGERIANS, empower them with Presidential Fiat to request for emergency funds and appropriate them as the exigencies of the service demands! *The NEEDS and welfare of our soldiers who are in the trenches are paramount, urgent and imperative at this period of our national travail. Salaries and allowances must be paid as at when due and very promptly too to serve as incentives; special bonuses promotions should be employed when issues of gallantry and outstanding performances are exhibited! * We must not forget that military casualties are also recorded in most assaults of the insurgents as well and as such, those who remain alive should be motivated and encouraged to continue in the struggle to defeat the terrorists at all costs! *The Nigerian Press should be very cautious to publish EXCLUSIVE, DELICATE AND SENSITIVE INFORMATION that bother on SECURITY, especially at this precarious period of insurgency, and with our collective effort, victory will be sooner than later. We are privileged to know that the Army High Command cannot divulge or disclose also available operational information for security reasons, BUT there are certain information that, if hidden could cause more damage than good! ONE SHAMELESS NIGERIAN IS SHAMELESSLY CALLING ON THE NIGERIAN ARMY TO STAGE THE ELEVENTH COUP DE TAT AND WE SAY GOD FORBID! WE REBUKE THIS FIFTH COLUMNIST AND CALL ON THE ANGEL OF THE LORD TO RESTRICT SOLDIERS TO THEIR BARRACKS BECAUSE THEY WILL NEVER RULE OVER NIGERIANS AGAIN, NEVER AGAIN, ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD! AMEN. If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations. Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access,to this newsletter, log on to: facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch & Zfbbc1.blogspot.com] I am, Yours sincerely,Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor.08058436756 08098194390.g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com . st th st