In an interview with The Punch, the former Deputy Director of Defence Administration at the Defence Headquarters, Commodore Kunle Olawunmi (retd.), spoke on the recent reported coup plot, the growing insecurity in the country, and the arraignment of Nnamdi Kanu, among other national issues.
When asked about reports that he was denied promotion during his service years, Commodore Kunle Olawunmi (retd.) dismissed suggestions that his current outspokenness was driven by resentment over that issue. He explained that his stance on national matters was consistent with his character even while in service, noting that he had always been outspoken and confident in expressing professional opinions during intelligence briefings, regardless of rank.
Olawunmi said that, based on his experience and training, he understood how the promotion system in the military worked. He explained that while merit could take an officer up to the rank of a one-star general, the promotion to two-star general was largely political. According to him, he had come to terms with that reality early in his career.
He revealed that he had appeared before the promotion board three times for elevation to the rank of a two-star general and emerged first overall on each occasion. He stated that after the first attempt, the then Chief of Naval Staff informed him that there were officers ahead of him and promised that he would be promoted the next time. However, before the next promotion exercise, the Chief of Naval Staff was removed from office.
Olawunmi added that even under the new Chief of Naval Staff, who acknowledged his outstanding performance, he was still denied promotion despite holding a two-star appointment as Chief of Staff at the Logistics Command, where he was performing excellently. He said he had accepted the situation as part of the political nature of higher-level military appointments.
Further talking, he said, “The chief also called and asked me to come to his house, where he explained why I didn’t get it the second time. He then promised I would get it. I did the third one while I was the Deputy Director of Defence Administration, a two-star appointment. Almost all my time as a one-star, I held two-star appointments. When the result came and they still didn’t give me, I submitted my statutory letter to leave.” View, More,
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