Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has urged Nigerians to view the nation’s diversity as a valuable asset that must be protected, not a burden to be contested.
Marwa made the remarks on Saturday while delivering the keynote address at the public presentation of “Buni Boy”, a book written by the late legal icon Ayoola-Daniels, in Abuja. 
Marwa said the narrative captured in the book rekindled memories of a Nigeria where unity, coexistence, and mutual respect were the norm, even in the face of the civil war.
“Our diversity is not a burden,” he said. “It is a gift and a trust we must safeguard. The story reminds me of a time when life was plain in its blessings and people showed more kindness. It speaks to the unity and strength woven through our diversity as Nigerians.”
He reflected on his upbringing across Zaria, Enugu, Abeokuta and Lagos, and his time at the Nigeria Military School (NMS), Zaria, where students and teachers were drawn from all ethnic backgrounds.
“We regarded ourselves as kin. Whether Hausa, Yoruba or Igbo, we saw one another as Nigerians first,” he said.
Marwa added that his decades in the Nigerian Army deepened his conviction that unity is the foundation of national strength, noted that intermarriages, shared service, and daily cooperation broke down ethnic barriers among officers and men.
The NDLEA boss also revisited his tenure as the Military Administrator of Lagos State, recalling the support he received from Lagosians despite political tensions between the southwest and the military government at the time.
He revealed that military authorities instructed him to prevent then Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu from emerging governor due to his pro-democracy activism in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), but he chose professionalism and fairness.
“I was directed to stop Tinubu because of his activism against the military government,” Marwa said.
“But I conducted a free and fair election that produced the most popular candidate. The rest is history.”
He credited the warmth and acceptance he enjoyed from Lagos residents for encouraging him to allow the will of the people to prevail.
While acknowledging that Nigeria face challenges due to years of poorly managed diversity, Marwa said such difficulties do not justify calls for disintegration.
“Our challenges should push us to repair fault lines and pursue greater inclusion, not tear the nation apart,” he noted.
Marwa praised Mrs. Leticia Ayoola-Daniels, the widow of the author, for preserving her husband’s legacy. He said the book’s real-life story resonated with him partly because he once served as the military governor of the old Borno State, where Buni Yadi was within his jurisdiction.
He said the transformation of a young man under the guidance of a principled Alkali reflected the resilience, justice, and spirit of the Nigerian people.
