Reporting Military News: Abuse Of Ranks, By Olusegun Oyewole

By Olusegun Oyewole JP

There is no doubt that the military of any nation is important to national development that no journalist can afford to neglect, or trivialize its coverage in terms of reportage. In Nigeria, media attitude towards the military has to a very large extent taken a toll on coverage of its activities. Impliedly therefore, media – military relations cannot be said to be excellent compared to other climes like the West.

Reasons for the sharp dichotomy is not farfetched. The elites’ bias against the military due to intervention in politics by seizure of political power and taking over the instruments of governance from the elites is one of the principal reasons why the elites and by extension, the media are prejudicial towards the military and consequently lack of interest in military profession. One aspect that has suffered this unhealthy relationship is the lack of interest in military rank structure which is very important to the military and as a matter of fact, defines hierarchy and command in the military.

Daily Trust Newspapers of Friday 08 January, 2016, page 3 under the caption: “Buhari Meets for 4 hours with Service Chiefs” reported thus: …in attendance were Major-General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (Chief of Defence Staff), Major-General T.Y Buratai (Chief of Army Staff), Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Chief of Naval Staff), and Air Vice-Marshal  Sadique Abubakar (Chief of Air Staff) … Let me quickly say that in the military there is no dash and dot in rank and names.

Any of the above military officers reading this news item will immediately be infuriated. In fact, no officer reading this news item will take such reporter serious on defence beat. The military officers will simply conclude that the reporter is a “Bloody civilian” – a clown who knows nothing. If it were during military rule, overzealous aides will go extra mile to ‘invite the editor for a chat’. It is a very serious offence in the military. Defence Correspondents understand what I am saying here. Editors will do well to employ or deploy Reporters with military backgound to cover military matters.

The above nomenclatures were the ranks the above mentioned officers occupied some 4 years ago and has been graciously promoted by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR since last year 2015 in an elaborate ceremony widely reported across the world. Speculations were all over the place that the President may not be willing to promote his service chiefs since he retired as a Major General and while as Head of State, he refused to promote himself to 4-Star General. It took close to a month after their appointments before the President bestowed their present rank on them as the President kept every one guessing.

In fact the promotion of General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin to 4-Star General remains a record breaker in the appointment of Chief of Defence Staff within the last two decades. Why? This is because occupant of that office were usually taken from among the serving Service Chiefs who must be a 3-Star General that is a Lieutenant General (Army) Vice Admiral (Navy) Air Marshal (Air Force) and then promoted 4-Star: General (Army), Admiral (Navy), Air Chief Marshal (Air Force).

The last rank is Field Marshal (Army), Admiral of the Fleet (Navy), Marshal of the Nigerian Air Force (Air Force) which no Nigerian has occupied.

The first officer’s rank graduating from Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Regular Combatant is Second Lieutenant (Army), Midshipman (Navy), Pilot Officer (Air force), then promoted Lieutenant (Army), SubLieutenant (Navy), Flying Officer (Air Force). The next rank is Captain (Army), Lieutenant (Navy), Flight Lieutenant (Air Force). After four years with rigorous physical examination coupled with written examinations will be promoted to the rank of Major (Army), Lt Commander (Navy), Squadron Leader (Air Force). Then promoted to Lt Colonel (Army), Commander (Navy), Wing Commander (Air Force). The next promotion where Red Neck starts is Colonel (Army), Captain (Navy), Group Captain (Air Force), and promoted now to One Star General called Brigadier General (Army), Commodore (Navy), and Air Commodore (Air Force). Next is Major General the rank from where the Service Chiefs were picked by the President on 3^rd July, 2015. It should be noted that the rank “Brigadier” attracted the appellation “General” during the era of President Ibrahim B. Babangida.

Olusegun Oyewole is a retired soldier from Army Public Relations, a founding Editor-in-Chief, Defence Times Newsmagazine. He is a U.K Award Winner in 2006 where he studied Law at University of Teesside, Middlesbrough.