By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has charged media practitioners to also focus on the positive aspect of the country.
He gave the charge when delivering his address as Special Guest of Honour at a one-day Seminar organised by Defence Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria (DECAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
The seminar had as theme “Civil Military Relations: Non-kinetic Efforts of the Nigerian Military in Security Management, Challenges, And Prospects”
He urged the citizens to stop cursing the country and her leaders, saying that citizens should be positive about the country for her to be productive.
“I must encourage and employ us all that we must endeavour to continue to remain loyal to constitutional authorities and be patriotic to our great nation,” the CDS said.
“There must be a nation before you can even discuss it, and that is very critical. Sometimes, I find it very hard to understand when I hear Nigerians speaking evil about their country.
“And we all know as Africans that there’s power in the word. What you say means a lot. We must learn how to be positive of our country. That’s the only way we can produce.
“We have seen countries, most countries, it’s not like they don’t have issues, but they don’t put their own problems in the forefront like we do. And that is what is affecting us as individuals.
“So, it’s important that we must take ownership of our country. We must wish our country well and our leaders well. When they err, let us call them to question and profile solutions.
“It’s not just negative criticism. Every day you are insulting, you are busy. You’re calling for God to punish. No, you cannot kill your country because you feel it is just that you feel like that. You don’t grow a country like that, which I think is important.”
“Looking at the way security threats have evolved, there’s a global conflict transformation with increased and synchronized application of economic, diplomatic, political, psychological, informational, intelligence, technological and selective military means to achieve stated end states.
“Today’s war, I wish the enemy is not a state but a movement. A war without national borders, a war between States and networks.
“Accordingly, the traditional notion of war relying heavily on kinetic means is gradually being relegated and we are now seeking to possess and apply non-kinetic approaches to project power, secure interests and solve problems.
“Though the overall power potential of the country is still being determined by conventional military artists, there is no doubt that the non kinetic means are becoming more relevant in the power potentials of Nigeria.
“The armed forces of Nigeria, being the key driver encountering the myriad of security threats nationwide, has sustained non military and soft strategies as a means to an end of this multifaceted threats.
“As for the first time, I’m highly aware of the multidimensional challenges that confront our nation in the domain of security. Nigeria as a diverse and complex nation faces a mirage of security threats that demand our varying attention and concerted efforts to address.
“From separatism, insurgencies and terrorism to intercommunal conflicts, transnational organized crimes and the mirror of other security challenges, the task of securing our nation is formidable and tasking.
“The challenges are enormous all over, but we must look at the positive as well as speak well of our country, speak whatever is going on. But positively, I think that’s very, very important.”
In his speech, the Acting Director Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau urged DECAN members to show sense of patriotism in delivering their responsibilities.
A former Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General S.K. Usman (rtd.) urged the correspondents to maintain the tenets of professionalism.
In his welcome address, President of the Association, Comrade Ismail Musa of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) said that the Seminar was organized to build capacity of members towards supporting the military to end insurgency in the country.
Other speakers at the seminar were the Director-General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Jibrin Ndace and Group Captain Sadeeq Shehu (rtd.).
