I am writing in response to
Mohammed Haruna’s
column on “War on terror: Common cause with America? published on the back page of Daily Trust of Wednesday, August 18, 2004. I was opportuned to be at the press briefing during the visit of General Robert Folgesong, commander of the United States Air Forces in Europe on August 9, 2004. At no time did Air Marshal J.D. Wuyep, Chief of the Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force declare that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) was in support of the efforts of the United States to deploy its troops in the Gulf of Guinea. The Chief of the Air Staff is aware that the NAF is not a sovereign entity and cannot declare such support.
In the same vein, the United States of America’s Ambassador to Nigeria was at the occasion. The Ambassador stated that the US Navy’s passing presence was a transitory deployment through the Gulf of Guinea hundreds of miles off the West African Coast”. General Foglesong also stated categorically that the planned US Navy training operation is a worldwide exercise that includes exercises in the Gulf of Guinea, but the US is not deploying troops to the region or anywhere near the Nigerian Coastline”. Therefore, how could the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) declare support for purported deployment of US troops in the Gulf of Guinea? Also, throughout his address to the visiting General, the CAS never used words such as common cause or common interest. Those were words of your creation to suit your article.
I am perplexed that you associated Air Marshal Wuyep with anti Islam. where you said: “Wuyep’s position sprang not only from mere loyalty, but also from what seems to be his visceral antipathy for Muslims”. This is absurd and far from the truth. You are certainly being unfair to him.
It might interest you to know that Air Marshal Wuyep as the Chief of the Air Staff, has constructed many mosques and churches all over NAF units. You could confirm this from your friends and other relations in the NAF. Also, monthly maintenance allowance is released to all the mosques and churches. Air Marshal Wuyep has always declared publicly that the person (guardian) he stayed with when he was young was a Muslim. How can he then “have visceral antipathy for Muslims”? Sincerely speaking, Air Marshal Wuyep is not anti-Islam.
Security, you will agree with me is taken seriously in the military. You may be surprised to know that the personal staff of Air Marshal Wuyep are made up of both Christians and Muslims. His security details are both Muslims and Christians. If there is any service Chief (NAF) that has protected the interest of Muslims most, it is Air Marshal Wuyep. A person who is anti-Islam will not allow any Muslim to work directly with him especially on issues of his personal security.
Look around you, you will see many public officers who have only people of their religious faith working directly with them or providing security for them.
Promotions, postings, appointments and retirements are made based on staff disposition after taking many other things into consideration. Religion is not one of the consid-erations. The existing staff disposition in the NAF is not a creation of the present CAS. You can only promote, appoint, post or retire based on what you have on ground. Please note that in the military, we have very strict laid down procedures, guidelines and criteria for promotion and retirement.
For instance, you must pass your promotion exams, attend professional military courses, have good performance evaluation report, and take into consideration the existing establishment vacancies. It has nothing to do with religion or tribe. For the sake of promotion, a promotion board is set up. Reports of such promotion boards must have the approval of the Air Force Council. The Air Force Council is made up with the President, Defence Mini-ster, the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of the Air Staff and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence. Therefore, the final approval for promotions, postings, appointments and retirem-ents is with the Air Force Council.
Mohammed Haruna certainly has phobia for America, and does not see anything good in anybody who associates himself with America, be it in his official or unofficial capa-city. He probably belie-ves that anybody who has dealings with America is anti-Islam. For the mere fact that Air Marshal J.D. Wu-yep received an American General, Wuyep is anti Islam.
In the military, when you are in battle, the person fighting with you is not seen as a Christian or Muslim, Yoruba, Hausa, Ibo or Nupe but a fellow Nigerian fighting to defend the territorial integr-ity of our dear nation. That was the way we were trained. Whether you accept it or not, the military has contributed and is still contributing, greatly to the unity of Nigeria. For you to try to ridicule that institution and its officers is most unfortunate.
Ibrahim Kure
Group Captain
Director of Public Relations and information
Defence Headquarters Garki Abuja. .
