The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the men and women of the Nigeria Police Force to wear black bands for seven days to mourn the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja. This marks the latest show of ceremonial respect, as the country comes to terms with the death of the 56-year-old army chief, who passed away after a long battle with illness.
“May the soul of the late COAS rest in peace,” Egbetokun said, as though that will fix the mounting security challenges that Lagbaja, appointed by President Bola Tinubu just months ago, couldn’t address during his tenure. His passing has prompted the usual round of mournful statements, with Egbetokun calling Lagbaja a “great leader” who “showed gallantry, dedication, and passion” in his fight against insurgency.
The national mourning continues with President Tinubu’s declaration that Nigeria’s national flags be flown at half-mast in remembrance of the late general. This directive, which will last for seven days, was conveyed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. But, perhaps more than ever, one must question if this gesture of flying flags at half-mast is just another attempt to distract the public from the pressing, unresolved issues that still plague the nation’s security. Let’s not forget that in the wake of Lagbaja’s death, his tenure will be remembered for the worsening security crisis, not any major victories.
Lagbaja may have been appointed with the hope that he could lead the charge against Nigeria’s insurgent groups, but under his watch, the situation only seemed to spiral further out of control.
The Boko Haram insurgency rages on, bandits run rampant in the north, and kidnappings continue to thrive across the country. So, what exactly has been achieved in this fight that we now mourn his passing for? It would be nice if the government showed even a fraction of the passion they dedicate to memorializing fallen officials toward finding real, lasting solutions to these problems.
So, let’s all take a moment, bow our heads, wear the black bands, and fly the flags, but let’s not forget that the real test for the Nigerian leadership is not how they honour their fallen generals, but how they address the pressing, unresolved issues that continue to plague the country’s peace and security.
