…HARPS ON PERSONAL SECURITY, SANITATION, WELFARE NEEDS
By Okosun Dennis
Poised with the determination to inculcate discipline, secure and engender a peaceful ambiance, as well as stamp out all forms of illegalities in the barracks, the Commander, Headquarters, 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Ikeja Cantonment, Brig Gen Olawale Matthew Oyekola has met with wives of soldiers in the Cantonment at a Town Hall meeting.
The meeting was held at the Garrison Training Shield, Ikeja Cantonment on Friday, 6th September, 2024.
Over 500 wives of soldiers, Magajias (women leaders), the Brigade’s Garrison Commander, Principal Staff Officers attended, which allowed the Brigade Commander to address various issues concerning welfare, accommodation, improving electricity and water supply as well as projecting the image of the Nigerian Army in line with the concepts of the Command Philosophy of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.
Highlighting the primary objectives amongst others, as the 48th Commander, assured of nondiscriminatory, robust welfare needs for families of soldiers to mitigate every act that is inimical to peaceful co-existence in the barracks.
According to Brig Gen Oyekola, it became necessary to have the maiden meeting to familiarize himself with the barracks community and for them to know him as their Commander.
“As you know, there was a change in the leadership of the Brigade recently and I am here because of you, your families, and soldiers, to improve on your welfare, and to see how to make what is already good, better.
“Having toured the barracks several times, he explained, “There is rooms for improvements as I want to impact positively on those deficiencies. As a Cosmopolitan barracks, the welfare is not going to be restricted to officers and soldiers of the Brigade alone but to everyone resident at Ikeja Cantonment.”
However, the Commander cautioned soldiers’ families on the use of social media, admonishing them to observe restrain, adding that such arrant misuse and flagrant disregard to constituted authorities on its use, have caused some soldiers their careers and wouldn’t want such a thing to happen to any of his soldiers or their husbands.
“Let’s be responsible in the use of social media; don’t use your husbands in uniforms as your Display Picture (DP); or disclose your addresses and expose members of your family or personal secrets to the public. We need to be disciplined. Let’s change such attitude for the sake of your husband’s safety and career,” Brig Gen Oyekola re-emphasized.
On sanitation in the barracks, he craved their indulgence in ensuring that there is regular cleanliness; a practice that would keep away communicable diseases.
To concretize that and ensure every block of flats actively participates in regular sanitation, the Commander disclosed the “sectorization” of the barracks to keep it cleaner.
“Let’s personalize sanitation in the barracks to avoid diseases like cholera, Mpox epidemics. The barracks shall be broken down to sectors for a healthy competition thereby having a cleaner environment.
Brig Gen Oyekola commended the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja for providing an enabling environment and improving the electricity supply of about 16 hours daily to the barracks. He added that the ultimate goal is to have nothing less than 20 hours of supply every day.
While warning against illegal occupants in the barracks, he called on soldiers and their families to desist from bringing strangers to occupy their rooms/flats met for soldiers and collect rents after being posted out of the Brigade or state.
“I will not tolerate a soldier that has been posted and keeps an illegal person in the barracks and collects rent. I will not allow sub-letting of accommodation and disallow a bonafide soldier from being accommodated. I will eject such illegal occupant.”
However, for those who are soldiers and are engaged in various operations, “We need to accommodate ourselves as soldiers because some of your husbands are serving in the North-East, North-Central and cannot immediately move their families. Such soldiers cannot be considered as an illegal occupant. I can’t call anybody an illegal occupant until you prove to be illegal.
“Assist us to identify illegal and undesirable elements living amongst us. Also, let’s report dilapidated infrastructures promptly to avoid fire and accidents. Barracks security is our security, give it a meaning.”
He frowned against every antisocial behaviour capable of undermining discipline or denting the image of the Nigerian Army. The Brigade Commander stressed that any act of stealing, Advanced Fee Fraud (419 or Yahoo Yahoo), drug abuse, indecent dressing and fighting one another in the barracks, and child abuse, will not be entertained.
“We are beautiful people and don’t need to advertise ourselves. Let’s be mindful of what we wear as the army authorities is opposed to indecent dressing within our barracks.
“Family can create situations in life. Be a good wife to promote the interest of your family but don’t downgrade or allow any situation to destroy your beautiful homes.
The Commander, Brig Gen Oyekola, also reminded families of soldiers to always “meet his principal staff officers to sort things out as they cannot lock their doors against them; and commended the officers for their invaluable support at all times.
During the interactive session, the Brigade’s Medical Officer, Lt Col Akpan shared some health tips with families of soldiers, emphasizing that there would be optimal and adequate medical care for Nigerian Army personnel.
“Let’s warn that we should be cautious and guide against deadly diseases such as cholera, Mpox that are preventable, as we live in a secluded environment because when there is an outbreak, the morbidity and mortality is always high.
On her part, one of the soldier’s wife, Aminatu Mohammed thanked the 9 Brigade Commander for the opportunity, adding that they would cooperate and assist him to succeed because the ultimate thing is to galvanize a well secured barracks for them the live.
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