Although this year’s democracy day celebrations have come and gone but the activism of the Minister of Defence Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) in all the june 12, 2022 commemorative activities by the Federal Government can’t be forgotten in a hurry by key players and keen observers of the events.
General Magashi’s background and calling as a well decorated retired but not tired Infantry Officer notwithstanding has demonstrated sufficient dispositions of a democrat Par excellence in his leadership style since he assumed office as the political head of the Ministry of Defence.
Despite his tight working schedules in the office Magashi as a true democrat defied all odds to attend the Democracy Day Lecture held at the National jumat Mosque Conference hall on Friday and thereafter proceeded to the main Mosque to be part of the special jumat prayers within the
same premises to commemorate the June 12 which was captured in the National News.
This genuine act of commitment to absolutely key into the mood of the nation and to totally embrace National aspiration in raising the democratic bar by the Minister of Defence did not surprise many Nigerians who have been following his track records of service in the Military, as a politician and as a leading cabinet member of the Federal Executive Council because of his unarguably patriotic zeal to do what is in the best interest of the government at all times.
The Defence Minister’s unwavering loyalty to the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces President Muhammadu Buhari is never in doubt as it came to the fore at the National arcade Abuja when he dutifully answered the call to duty by his presence at the grand finale ceremonial parade that Climaxed all the activities lined up by the government for the 2022 democracy day celebrations.
Undoubtedly, the office of the Nigeria Minister of Defence is a very challenging, demanding and very busy one but it’s incumbent Minister prioritised his presence and full participations in all the activities lined up for the democracy day celebrations as he did last year and this year to prove that he is a consistently consistent an avowed democrat.
Again in addition to issuing a democracy day statement congratulating Nigerians that went virile on old and new media, Magashi by his active involvements in the June 12 celebrations demonstrated his love for the country, respect for the leadership of the country and by extension his appreciation of the founding fathers of the country as well as the heroes of democracy from 1999 to date.
It is on record that Magashi’s retirement in 1999 same year the nation began nascent democracy unarguably shaped his deep involvement in politics towards contributing to nation building.
What a gloriously well timed exit for the retired General Magashi to pull off his Military uniform and adorned political garment in 1999, the same year the country birthed democracy.
Just as it was a seamless transition and transformation for the country to join the league of democratic nations, so it was for the accomplished General to transformed into becoming a democrat par excellence.
Hence his political activism as a democrat gave him the political recognition in 2002 to become the Legal adviser to the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP).
The ex- soldier- Politician who was Military Governor of Sokoto State in 1992 contested for the governorship position in Kano state under the platform of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) in 2007 before he retired from active politics in 2014.
Mohammad Abdulkadri is the Special Assistant To The Minister of Defence on Media and Publicity.
