A Model Chief of Defence Staff….
As Nigeria’s 18th Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Christopher Gwabin Musa, OFR, occupies an office that is the nucleus of the Nigerian armed forces. He came into the position at a turbulent time when it had become a matter of national necessity to suppress the hydra-headed threat of insecurity caused by insurgents in the North East, bandits in North Central and North West, Biafra agitators in South East and South South gangs of militants, oil thieves and vandals. There was also an extraneous threat of confrontation between 15 ECOWAS countries and the military juntas of Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Niger. The onus fell on Lt Gen Musa to lead ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence Staff either to war or away from the brinkmanship of the ECOWAS Head of States. The way he managed the crises with decisive action, diplomacy and professionalism speaks of him as a capable and responsible military chief.
That is no surprise for anyone conversant with his track record when he was Commander of Sector 3 operations―namely Lafiya Dole and Multinational Joint Task Force, Lake Chad Region―and Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai in the North East, where he combined tactical offensive against insurgents with strategic overtures that brought many misguided elements back into the fold of society.
His leadership acumen was also tested in the crucible of new crises, notably the Okuama killings of soldiers in Delta and the military drone mishap that resulted in mass killings of civilians in Kaduna. The military responded to these acid tests in the best possible ways that could not be faulted. Indirectly, the credit goes to the Chief of Defence Staff, who gradually became a beacon of hope that fuels the Nigerian optimism that the country would emerge out of the hellhole of insecurity in which it has plunged into for decades. This new book, Diary of an Astute General: A Collection of the Good Deeds of General CG Musa as CDS, is an open vista of the man now in charge of the forces responsible for the country’s security.
Only an insider to the Nigerian security complex could put together an incisive compendium on one of Nigeria’s best military chiefs in recent times.
Of course, the author is Odita Sunday, a long-time Defence reporter for The Guardian who is an insider and authority on the Nigerian security complex, as he has well proven in his new book on the Chief of Defence Staff.
He tells the story with the right kernel, capturing the highlights of Gen Musa’s 19-month command of Operation Hadin Kadi in the North East, such as the decimation of Boko Haram insurgents; the deployment of the soft power of Safe Corridor, a programme for the deradicalisation of surrendered insurgents; the rescue of 96 Chibok girls; and the restoration of peace in the region.
The narration adopts an objective point of view, using the voices of various groups and their reactions to the metamorphosis of his subject. Some of the powerful voices include the civil society that expressed appreciation for his good works and Lt. Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd), his predecessor, who gave strong words of endorsement for his appointment. These, combined with various missives and commentaries of the subject himself in the past 13 months, add up to a big picture of the kind of military chief he is.
Diary of an Astute General is part biographical, part documentary—a pastiche of prose, news reports, speeches, writings and commentaries and photographs, all woven together with uncanny expertise that, once again, speaks volumes of Odita’s flair as a chronicler of history who digs deep for salient details to fill gaps, and flesh narratives into a compelling biography.
The first 30 pages, the introductory part of the book, recount the humble beginning and the trajectory of the Lt Gen Musa in the Nigerian Army, listing command and staff positions and achievements.
The second part, comprising carefully curated reports since he became the Chief of Defence Staff, shows the curve of performance and patterns of leadership via his constant visits and conversation with troops in the various theatres of operations across the country, and the new template he is forging in civil-military relations in his multiple interactions with governors, social groups, and institutions, among others.
The focus of the third part is on the progress reports of troops’ gallantry against various subversive elements and non-state actors. The reports show the mettle of the Nigerian military that prevails since Musa became Chief of Defence Staff.
In the fourth part, the author takes a look at his protagonist through the eyes of others: an opinion poll of media specialists, security experts and critical stakeholders. He let them x-ray his subject in their light, and give their independent assessments.
One of his respondents, Zagazola Makama, a popular security expert famous for his commentaries on counterterrorism operations against insurgents in the Chad Basin area, describes Gen Musa as ‘a foremost military leader and a role model for future generations of officers.’
Said he: “Under his command, thousands of Boko Haram and ISWAP were eliminated while more than 100,000 Boko Haram and their families surrendered to the Nigerian troops…his innovative approaches, adaptability, and ability
to motivate his troops have been instrumental in accomplishing
high-risk missions and ensuring the safety of his personnel.”
Chidi Omeje, another respondent who is the publisher and editor of Security Digest, affirms: “Gen Chris Musa has, in one year as the Chief of Defence Staff, shown an uncommon pragmatic leadership quality that we have not seen in that office in a very long time.”
The author enriches the book by allowing his reader to hear the subject speak his mind in critical moments, such as when he led a meeting of the 15 Chiefs of Defence Staff of ECOWAS in Abuja, in the wake of the coup in Niger and the ECOWAS Presidents’ threat of force.
Musa, in his address, had set a tone that was more pacific and balanced than the hawkish sentiments of the civilian leadership of ECOWAS when he said: “Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to deliberate on this issue and chart a course towards resolution, in accordance with the
principles of democracy, rule of law, and respect for human rights.”
The military also speaks for him in response to calls for putsch by unpatriotic elements: “The Armed Forces of Nigeria, under the leadership of the Chief of Defence Staff, General CG Musa, is determined to ensure complete subordination of the Armed Forces to constitutional authority under His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and will not be distracted from its roles that are well defined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
By and large, the author shows the dynamics of the Nigerian military leadership through the acts of the Chief of Defence Staff, especially in his use of diplomacy in his engagements with a farrago of civilian associations―including the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Supreme Sharia Council, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), monarchs―and his non-kinetic approach to the insecurity conundrum.
Carefuly curated photos of Gen Musa on the frontline sharing food with troops, giving pep talk and visiting the injured, and laying down wreaths at the burial of fallen heroes who died in the line of duty, add colour to the book.
Just like other Odita books, Diary of an Astute General is as historical as it is sociological. Though fundamentally different from others, it is still a testament to the vintage Odita Sunday: An astute chronicler with a keen eye for big moments and impact actors in history.
There is, however, a tincture of irony. Firstly, whether the author is aware or not, he has written a fine book not only about an individual but about an institution in the process of reinventing itself. The book shows how Nigeria’s military has matured in the crucible of adverse situations that could have forced its hierarchy to throw caution to the wind, tread on professionalism and follow the path of perfidy of its counterparts in the Sahel part of the ECOWAS bloc who subverted their country’s democracy.
Well-researched and prudently put together, Diary of an Astute General is an important documentation of a new epoch in Nigeria’s military.
Secondly, he has written a good book about an event that is still developing. Lt Gen Musa is barely 15 months old on his job, and the military’s fight against the decade-old insecurity in the country is a continuum. There are major momentums and milestones ahead. Hence, the author will need to reprise his role, like the griot of old, with a sequel to keep the history intact.
Overall, Odita Sunday has shown mastery of his art by allowing the book to write itself without injecting his biases. He simply cut through the array of reports, privileged only the crucial details, and weaved the various parts together with journalistic skills to build an insightful profile of the man, his onus and nous.
Book: Diary of an Astute General: A Collection of the Good Deeds of General CG Musa as CDS
Author: Odita Sunday
Reviewer: Musa Jibril.