Retired military officer Captain Umar Aliyu has dismissed claims that ethnicity played a role in General Olufemi Oluyede’s appointment as Chief of Defence Staff, arguing instead that the selection was based on merit and strong character.
Speaking in an interview with Nigeria Info FM from 7:21, Aliyu described Oluyede as an exemplary and outspoken officer who refuses to compromise his principles. “The outgoing chief of army staff has moved to chief of defence staff. He is another exemplary person. He is a very outspoken officer. He’s not someone that is really yielding to yes-man-ship,” Aliyu said.
He cited an example of Oluyede’s integrity, recounting an incident where the general refused to wear a badge he had rightfully earned after being unfairly denied recognition following a military course. “That’s the kind of person he is,” Aliyu stated.
Responding to suggestions that Oluyede’s Yoruba ethnicity influenced his appointment, the retired captain strongly disagreed. “Somebody was saying that being Yoruba made him become the chief of defence staff. That is not it. This is my own opinion—I’m very confident that the Commander-in-Chief, which is the President, made him the CDS because they have some similar traits. He’s not the kind of person you cheat,” he explained.
Aliyu praised Oluyede’s physical presence and intellectual capacity, noting, “Size-wise, God just gave it to him. He’s intimidating. And apart from that, he’s also very intelligent. Right from our academic days, he was an ace cadet.”
When asked whether the new Chief of Defence Staff would speak truthfully to the President, Aliyu pointed to Oluyede’s track record of outspokenness. He referenced the badge incident as evidence that the general has consistently stood up for what is right, even when it meant protesting unfair treatment. This history of principled defiance, Aliyu suggested, demonstrates Oluyede’s willingness to speak truth to power. View, More,
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