If integrity was a man, they would have called him Idiagbon.
The world, especially Nigeria, is what it is today because of our inability to live a life of integrity. The pillars of our guiding principles are no longer standing on the foundation of value.
Instead of dignity and morality to be the watchful directors of our course, we decided to let vanity and impunity to rule over us.
Regardless of any other opinion, it was this senseless decision of ours that Gen. Idiagbon tried to dethrone from our mind.
But in vain he tried.
Born on the 14 September 1943, in Ilorin, Kwara state, Babatunde Abdulbaki Idiagbon received his secondary education at the Nigerian Military School, Zaria between 1958 and 1962.
He would join the Nigerian Army by enrolling in the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) in 1962: NMTC was renamed the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in February 1964.
In April 1965, Idiagbon was commissioned second lieutenant upon his arrival from Pakistan Military Academy where he had obtained a BSc in economics.
From 1966 to 1967, he served as an intelligence officer, 4th Battalion and General Staff Officer, 3rd Intelligence, 1st Sector.
It was during this time that he got promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and also to the rank of captain two years later.
At the age of twenty-five, Idiagbon had already become the commanding officer, 125 Battalion.
Owing to his intelligence, qualification, and personal ability, his promotion kept coming until he rose to become Brigadier General in 1983.
play
General Idiagbon
(Spy Nigeria)
Nigeria before 1983 had already taken side with lawlessness. In addition, the nation's resources were handled with recklessness.
The depth of corruption among public officials had succeeded in dragging the country into a state of economic shambles and the government in charge at the time seemed not to be very okay with the situation.
The Shehu Shagari's government succeeded in creating a group of dark kleptocratic thieves whose heartless goal would not be reached until the nation is plunged into a well of hopelessness.
As a matter of fact, record has it that in the space of four years, between 1979 and 1983, Shehu Shagari administration had mismanaged Nigeria into debt.
In fact, Nigeria was at the time counted among the most indebted countries in Africa.
Owing a colossal sum of about fifty billion dollars, inflation found a fertile soil to sprout. The result could only lead one end, hardship.
And of course, where there’s hardship, insecurity is always present.
At the time, a radical Islamic insurgent called "Maitatsine" operating from present-day Gombe state was inflicting all sorts of atrocities.
The Shehu Shagari government could not contain this vicious and dangerous Islamic fundamentalist. The nation was in a state of disarray.
It was during this time of national disorganization that the military ousted the Shehu Shagari administration in a coup d'etat.
Thus, Gen. Buhari became the Head of States and made Idiagbon chief of staff at Supreme Headquarters (de facto vice president).
Spearheading the control of all visible instruments of national, political, governmental and administrative powers, Idiagbon made use of power the way power should be used.
With ruthless zeal and determination, he introduced and implemented policies like War Against Indiscipline, which comprises of five phases:
Phase One - Queuing (launched on 20 March 1984)
Phase Two - Work Ethics (launched on 1 May 1984)
Phase Three - Nationalism and Patriotism, launched on 21 August 1984
Phase Four - Anti-Corruption and Economic Sabotage, launched on 14 May 1985
Phase Five - Environmental Sanitation, launched on 29 July 1985
Gen. Buhari
(nolligist)
To enumerate, the first phase was forcefully introduced to encourage customers and citizens to always line up to board buses.
And to always do the same whenever they find themselves vying for services with high demand. Anyone who deemed himself too importa
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