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BARRACKS: THE HISTORY BEHIND THOSE NAMES (PART 7 - EPILOGUE Section 1)

“Between Orok Edem and Theophilus Danjuma”
continued from http://www.dawodu.com/barrack5.htm

By 

Dr. Nowa Omoigui

nowa_o@yahoo.com
 

Now that the Nigerian Ministry of Defence (MOD) has officially reacted to the report of the Johnson Committee for the renaming of Nigerian Military Barracks, the time is right for an epilogue to my six part series on “Barracks – The History behind those names.”  The introduction was published on October 5^th, 2002.  [http://www.gamji.com/nowa41.htm]  The conclusion was published on February 8^th this year. [http://www.gamji.com/amnews9.htm] 

There are now additional reasons for further comment from this writer.  They are:

1.            The extension of the mandate of the committee to cover Air Force and Naval installations, although the initial announcement focused on the Nigerian Army and the committee (at inception) was exclusively comprised of Army Officers.  This initial focus influenced the emphasis of my essay, to the extent that, although I certainly reviewed USAF, USN, RAF and RN Barrack naming practices, one did not deeply delve into then existing Nigerian Naval Ship and Base nomenclature as a basis for arguing that names be kept or discarded. 

2.            Orok Edem, the webmaster of www.nigerdeltacongress.com has reacted negatively to the decision of the MOD to change the names of many Nigerian Naval Bases, particularly those named after sacred amphibious deities traditional to the South-South coastal zone of Nigeria.   He did so in his contribution titled ‘Troubled Waters: That Cozenageous Renaming of "Our" Naval Bases’, a copy of which he sent to me privately. [http://www.gamji.com/NEWS2453.htm]

3.            Major General David Ejoor (rtd), former Chief of Staff (Army) has also publicly reacted to the MOD decision, specifically with reference to what is now known as the “Warri Barracks”, formerly known as the David Ejoor Barracks at Effurun, near Warri.  His concern is that it ought to have been named “Effurun” Barracks rather than “Warri Barracks.” (See Vanguard and This Day of May 23^rd, 2003)

4.            A distinguished personality from Edo State (who does not want to be named) expressed some concern to me about the decision to name the Nigerian Air Force Base in Benin City after the late Colonel Shittu Alao who hails from Ogbomosho in Oyo State.  His concern is that deserving personalities ought to be memorialized as close to their home states and regions as possible, and that Edo/Delta States or the former Midwest region should not be an exception to the pattern established elsewhere in the country.

But before I proceed, let me share the complete text of the speech made by the former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen TY Danjuma (rtd) when he officially renamed the military barracks in the Abuja area on May 14^th, 2003: 

SPEECH BY HONOURABLE MINISTER OF DEFENCE LT GEN TY DANJUMA (rtd) GCON ON THE NAMING OF MILITARY BARRACKS AND CANTONMENTS

“On 12^th September 2002, I inaugurated a committee headed by Brig Gen Mobolaji Johnson (rtd) to harmonise the policies for the naming of military barracks and cantonments, and to review the names of existing barracks and cantonments to conform to the approved criteria.  The Committee submitted its report on 16^th April 2003 and the following recommendations have been approved:

a.                  Barracks should be named after important battles or campaigns where Nigerian Armed Forces participated.

b.                  All names of barracks in existence during the colonial era up to the Nigerian Civil War shall be retained.

c.                  Only in exceptional cases should barracks be named after individuals. These exceptions shall be for purely military professional excellence and may only be conferred postthumously.

d.                  Barracks named after political figures or living individuals should revert to their original names or the names of their locations.

e.                  Barracks named after deceased individuals not purely out of military considerations should revert to their original names.

f.                    Naval bases are to be named after geographical features or to reflect technical duties performed at the bases.  They may also be named after deceased personnel who contributed immensely to the development of the Nigerian Navy.

g.                  Nigerian Air Force bases should be named after towns or cities where they are located.  Deceased personnel who contributed immensely to the development of the Nigerian Air Force may also have bases named after them.

h.                  The following barracks named postthumously after individuals are to retain their names:

(1) Aguiyi Ironsi Barracks - Abuja

(2) Hassan Katsina Barracks - Bauchi

(3) Joe Akahan Barracks - Makurdi

(4) Kur Mohammed Barracks - Bama

(5) Maimalari Cantonment - Maiduguri

(6) Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Wey - Ojo

(7) Ribadu Cantonment - Kaduna

(8) Sam Ethnan Base (NAF) - Ikeja

(9) WU Bassey Barracks - Abuja

i.                    The following barracks named after political figures are to revert to their original locational names, i.e nomenclature of the unit and town:

(1) Akanu Ibiam Barracks - Abakpa, Enugu

(2) Jim Nwobodo Barracks - Enugu (Awkunanaw)

(3) Ukpabi Asika Barracks - Onitsha

j.                    The following barracks named after living individuals are to revert to their locational names:

(1) David Ejoor Barracks - Warri

(2) Ike Nwachukwu Barracks - Owerri

(3) Theophilus Danjuma Barracks - Takum

(4) Zamani Lekwot Barracks - Port Harcourt

k.                  The following barracks named after living individuals, one of whom is now deceased, shall be renamed as follows:

(1) Fort I Babangida, Abuja - Niger Barracks

(2) Gado Nasko Barracks, Abuja - Lungi Barracks

(3) Sani Abacha Barracks, Abuja - Mogadishu Cantonment

(4) Yakubu Gowon Barracks, Abuja - Mambilla Barracks

l.                    The following barracks and cantonments though named after deceased individuals, did not follow purely military considerations; they are to revert to their locational names:

(1) Adaka Boro Barracks - Elele

(2) Emmanuel Ekpo Barracks - Ikom

(3) Godwin Ally Barracks - Ogoja

(4) Patrick Dan Archibong Barracks - Calabar

m.                Dalet Barracks, Chindit Barracks and Bonny Camp are to be renamed Dalet Cantonment, Chindit Cantonment and Bonny Cantonment.

n.                  Nagwamatse Barracks Kontagora may be retained subject to detailed research and composition of an appropriate citation.

o.                  Niger Barracks Lokoja is to be renamed Chari Magumeri Barracks.

p.                  Odogbo Cantonment Ibadan is to be renamed Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment

q.                  Rukuba Cantonment Jos is to be renamed Maxwell Khobe Cantonment

r.                   NAF Base Benin is to be renamed Shittu Alao Base

s.                   The following Nigerian Navy Barracks are to be renamed as follows:

(1) NNS OLOKUN - NNS BEECROFT

(2) NNS UMALOKUN - NNS DELTA

(3) NNS URHIAPELE - Nigerian Navy Engineering College (NNEC) Sapele

(4) NNS KAMANU - Nigerian Navy Finance and Logistic School (NNFLS) Owerrinta

(5) NNS AKASO - Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) Onne

(6) NNS ONURA - NNC ONNE

(7) NNS ANANSA - NNS VICTORY

(8) NNS OKEMINI - NNS PATHFINDER

(9) Naval Medical Centre - Obisesan Naval Medical Centre, Apapa Mobil Road, Apapa

2.         A committee comprising the Chief of Administration – DHQ as Chairman and the Chiefs of Administration of the Services has been established to implement these decisions.  What we are witnessing today is the beginning of the implementation process whereby all barracks/cantonment affected in Abuja are being renamed in accordance with the approved guidelines.  I have directed the Service Chiefs to instruct their GOCs/FOCs/AOCs to effect changes to barracks/cantonments affected in their areas of responsibility.

3.         It is hope that this exercise will sanitise the process of naming barracks and cantonments, thereby contributing to the re-professionalism of the Armed Forces. Thank you all. “

COMMENTS

First let me state that the committee did an excellent job overall and both the committee and the MOD deserve a pat on the back for the effort.  That there has been some controversy was to be expected.  The comments that follow are intended to support the process and improve upon it, raising issues that may have been glossed over or under-emphasized at Committee, Ministry or National Defence Council stages of deliberation. 

However, as I stated in my previous conclusion, the process for memorialization should always take cognizance of (but not be selectively held hostage by) local sentiments and follow a bottom-up ladder. I also suggested that public input be allowed in the public arena or parliament because of the potential to impact civil-military relations.  It does appear that behind the scenes, consultations with informed insiders took place in various parts of the country, but not in a uniform and standardized manner.  Some of the unhappiness that has, therefore, so far been expressed, privately and publicly, particularly from South-South States, reflects a failure to be transparent to all stakeholders.  One of my readers pointed out that the original list of members of the committee did not make any allowance for representation from any of the six states in that part of the country.  Considering the effort to ensure that every other major political zone or region was represented, that – in his view - was an error of judgment.

Nevertheless, to a large extent, the recommendations of the committee that:

·        ‘Barracks should be named after important battles or campaigns where Nigerian Armed Forces participated’.

·        ‘All names of barracks in existence during the colonial era up to the Nigerian Civil War shall be retained’.

·        ‘Only in exceptional cases should barracks be named after individuals. These exceptions shall be for purely military professional excellence and may only be conferred postthumously’.

are reasonable, and entirely consistent with positions this writer advocated (with caveats) on gamji.

The recommendations of the committee that

·        ‘Naval bases are to be named after geographical features or to reflect technical duties performed at the bases.  They may also be named after deceased personnel who contributed immensely to the development of the Nigerian Navy’.

·        ‘Nigerian Air Force bases should be named after towns or cities where they are located.  Deceased personnel who contributed immensely to the development of the Nigerian Air Force may also have bases named after them’.

are not unreasonable, but require flexible interpretation and deft implementation.  Nor should they be regarded as utterly exclusive.

General Danjuma said:

“The following barracks named postthumously after individuals are to retain their names:

(1) Aguiyi Ironsi Barracks - Abuja

(2) Hassan Katsina Barracks - Bauchi

(3) Joe Akahan Barracks - Makurdi

(4) Kur Mohammed Barracks - Bama

(5) Maimalari Cantonment - Maiduguri

(6) Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Wey - Ojo

(7) Ribadu Cantonment - Kaduna

(8) Sam Ethnan Base (NAF) - Ikeja

(9) WU Bassey Barracks - Abuja”

Most of these names are well known from the dark days of Nigeria’s crises between 1966 and 1970.  Some are more recent.  The table below briefly summarizes their accomplishments and circumstances of death (if relevant).

General Danjuma said:

“The following barracks named after political figures are to revert to their original locational names, i.e nomenclature of the unit and town:

(1)        Akanu Ibiam Barracks            -            Abakpa, Enugu

(2)        Jim Nwobodo Barracks            -            Enugu (Awkunanaw)

(3)        Ukpabi Asika Barracks            -            Onitsha”

This appears self-evident.  None of the listed personalities ever had anything to do with the military.

General Danjuma said:

“The following barracks named after living individuals are to revert to their locational names:

(1)        David Ejoor Barracks             -            Warri

(2)        Ike Nwachukwu Barracks            -            Owerri

(3)            Theophilus Danjuma Barracks            -            Takum

(4)        Zamani Lekwot Barracks                      -            Port Harcourt”

This, based on principle, should ordinarily not be controversial but General Ejoor has raised an angle. 

Many Army Barracks tend to be located on the outskirts of major towns.  The splitting of hairs over “Effurun” versus “Warri” Barracks is a reflection of local political tensions, because the “Warri” Barracks is in fact physically in Effurun (5 miles away) and the MOD claims the name is “locational”.   The term “Warri” could alternatively refer to a town, port, river, division, former province, local government, or the site of a civil war battle and air raid.

To untrained eyes, Effurun and Warri have grown into one another.   However, they are different communities.  But there has been a military presence in Warri for many years. During the first republic, a platoon of the 4^th battalion at Ibadan seconded from the company in Benin used to go there from time to time.  It was known officially as Warri Barracks during and after the civil war, before much later being renamed Ejoor Barracks.  Land pressure and lower cost of development influenced the acquisition of land in Effurun when the MOD was engaged in massive reconstruction of Barracks all over the country.    Although he denies it as a factor, it may be that General Ejoor (rtd) was slighted by the name change and is being disingenuous (since it was popularly called Warri Barracks when he was the Chief of Staff). But the fact that such a nomenclatural issue emerged publicly after a committee process that took six months may be a reflection of insufficient consultation and the absence of a sensitive committee member from that part of the country. A compromise may be found in the way other peripherally located Barracks are named.  Examples include Enugu (Awkunanaw), Enugu (Abakpa), Ibadan (Odogbo) and Jos (Rukuba).  Along these lines it could be Warri (Effurun), or simply, Army barracks, Effurun, Warri or Army Barracks, Effurun.  It is noteworthy that the Ikeja Cantonment in Lagos is called Ikeja Cantonment.

General Danjuma said:

“The following barracks named after living individuals, one of whom is now deceased, shall be renamed as follows:

(1)        Fort I Babangida, Abuja               -            Niger Barracks

(2)        Gado Nasko Barracks, Abuja               -            Lungi Barracks

(3)        Sani Abacha Barracks, Abuja               -            Mogadishu Cantonment

(4)        Yakubu Gowon Barracks, Abuja   -            Mambilla Barracks”

The official citations for each of these renamed Barracks was as follows:

CITATION ON MAMBILLA

 

‘The Mambilla Plateau is located in the North Eastern Region of Nigeria in Taraba State. Its plains extend into the Cameroun. The Mambilla is renowned for its beautiful scenery and tourism potentials. It has the best grazing lands for life stock and also growth of different cash crops such as coffee and tea. Efforts and plans are underway to establish the Mambilla hydroelectricity project to supply the North east region of Nigeria and environs. Simply put, the Mambilla is a honey well waiting to be exploited. In recognition of the vast potentials of the Mambilla, the Yakubu Gowon Barracks is renamed Mambilla Barracks. ‘

 

CITATION ON  MOGADISHU

 

‘Mogadishu is the capital of the country Somalia. Nigerian troops participated gallantly as Nigerian Regiment, part of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF) in the Abyssinian campaign (1940 – 41) during the Second World War. The city of Mogadishu is situated in the South – East of Somalia in the Benadir Region.

 

Mogadishu was founded around the early 10^th Century by Arab merchants. By the 12^th century, the city had become a substantial trading station. However, economic activities have been severely disrupted by the nation’s protracted civil war which escalated in the 1990’s. Mogadishu is effectively a lawless society controlled by rival clans. As a result of the civil war, a United Nation’s Peace Keeping and Famine-relief mission was sent into the country between 1992 – 1995. Nigeria was part of the UN Mission to the country for the second time.

 

Nigerian Regiment that participated in the fighting during Abyssinian campaign was made up of young soldiers who never had any war experience. It is for the memory of those who lost their lives and to recognize the gallantry of those who became heroes, that this barracks has been approved by the HMOD to be called MOGADISHU Barracks’.

 

CITATION ON NIGER

 

‘Niger is the name given to one of the largest rivers in Africa. Rising in Guinea and flowing for about 4,180km, the river runs through Mali, Niger and Nigeria to the Gulf of Guinea. The Benue River which joins the Niger at Lokoja in Nigeria is its chief tributary. The Niger has created the Niger Delta which is about 36,300sq and the largest Delta region in Africa. The river is navigable almost all year as far upstream as Lokoja. In other areas, navigability is seasonal. The average discharge of the river at its mouth is about 6 million litres per second.

 

The upper Niger was a core area of the old empires of Mali and Songhai; During this time Timbuktu, at the great bend of the river was a major cultural and commercial centre. Western geographers long sought to establish the course of the Niger. The Scottish explorer Mungo Park determined as far back as 1796 that the river flows east and in 1830 the English brothers Richard Lander and John Lander proved that the Niger empties into the Gulf of Guinea.

 

The Niger has so much endowed Nigeria in the areas of agriculture, transportation, tourism, mining, provision of electricity and source of drinking water for the people.

 

It is in recognition of the enormous benefits of the river to the Nation that the HMOD decided to approve the name of the river for this barracks’.

 

CITATION ON LUNGI

 

‘Lungi is the name of the only International Airport in Sierra Leone. For many reasons, the Airport is of very significant importance to the Nigerian Armed Forces. At the beginning of ECOMOG operations in Liberia, Lungi International Airport was used as the landing and airlifting port of most of the troops that went to Liberia to participate in the Peace Keeping/Peace enforcement groups in the war torn Liberia. This same Airport was used as an escape route by President Tejan Kabbah on 25 May 1997 to Guinea when mutineers led by Major Koromah sacked the Presidential palace. It is to the credit of Nigerian troops that the escape was made possible as they put up spirited resistance to the rampaging Koromah boys.

 

It was also at Lungi International Airport that Nigerian Battalion (NIBATT) 35 suffered heavy casualties on arrival from Nigeria as rebels made surprise attack on them thereby causing temporary setback in the operation at hand. The Airport was not only used as a landing and airlifting base for the NA, the NAF had its base located there throughout the duration of ECOMOG operations.

 

For these and some other reasons not mentioned in this citation, the HMOD has approved the re-naming of this barracks as LUNGI BARRACKS’.

These citations are plain enough and self-explanatory.  However, some points are worth musing about.  

Mogadishu Barracks was formerly located in Kaduna before the civil war.

Lungi Barracks is a namesake of the Lungi Garrison in Lungi, near Freetown, Sierra Leone, the location where – in addition to its significance to Nigerian military operations there - excess weapons were publicly destroyed at the formal close of the Sierra Leone civil war.

Niger Barracks, named after the great River Niger is clear enough although the military significance of the Niger (or the name “Niger”) might have been helpful to clarify.  But the decision to retain “Niger” as the name of a Barracks and also transfer it from Lokoja to Abuja is politically interesting because it appears to be part of a pattern to avoid renaming formerly individually named Barracks in Abuja after other individuals, even if deserving. It also has the psychological benefit of reassuring those from ‘Niger’ State from where former Head of State General Ibrahim Babangida hails, that they did not lose out altogether.  Fort IB Babangida, named after Babangida of Niger State became Niger Barracks.  The real “Niger” Barracks at Lokoja, where the river “Niger” actually meets the river Benue was renamed Chari Maigumeri Barracks after an outstanding soldier who this writer had strongly recommended for memorialization in a prior essay. 

The old local name for the River Niger was "River Quorra".  ‘Quorra’ was a local African (ancient Egyptian) name. Italians also know it as a word meaning “Heart.” 

The word "Niger" is actually a Greek imposed Latin name, which means "Black" or “very dark brown”. Interestingly, although unrelated to the subject matter, there was once a powerful ancient Roman General by the name Pescennius Niger who ruled over Syria.  

What we now call the river Niger was the combination of two different rivers that originally flowed in opposite directions. The Joliba (named after a Malinke word meaning "great river"), was the upper Niger, originally arising near the Atlantic and flowing 500 miles in a northeasterly direction beyond Timbuktu, to drain into the lake of Juf.   The Quorra (also known as Kwarra or Kworra) on the other hand originated in the Sahara desert and flowed into the Gulf of Guinea.   As the Sahara region of ancient Africa slowly dried up over a period of centuries, the rivers shifted in position and the Quorra captured the Joliba. The Great Bend of the Niger we all read about in geography marks the site of the capture.   Other local names for that section of the River are Mayo Balleo and Isa Eghirren.  Funny enough the Hausa name for the Niger was Farin Ruwa, meaning “white water’, a far cry from the Latin rendition.

Nigeria got its name from Lady Lugard who called it the “Niger Area”.  In other words the area around the Black or dark brown river. 

CONTINUED

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