• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
    • Government
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
Sign in
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Password recovery
Recover your password
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
    • Prof Ojerinde Jamb

      Alleged N10bn Fraud: Ex-JAMB Registrar, Ojerinde, Re-Arrested in Abuja

      court Judiciary

      Court Lifts Forfeiture on Ekweremadu’s 40 properties, Lambasts EFCC for Concealing…

      EFCC Charges Youths to Brace Up for National Development

      Okupe’s Arrest: DSS Acted on Old Alarm – EFCC

      How we Secured 3785 Convictions in 2022 – EFCC

  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
    • 2023 Elections: Lawyers Must Play Leading Role in Making Best Choice…

      FACT-CHECK:  Were Trucks Loaded with Old Naira Notes ‘Belonging to Tinubu’…

      FACT-CHECK: Did CBN Extend Deadline for Old Naira Notes to July…

      DSS Operatives

      DSS Trains Operatives on Public Relations Strategies

      Nigerian Economic Landscape is Skewed Against Northerners – Arewa Economic Forum

  • National
    • 2023 Elections: Lawyers Must Play Leading Role in Making Best Choice…

      FACT-CHECK: Did CBN Extend Deadline for Old Naira Notes to July…

      NSA, Gen Babagana Monguno Rtd

      NSA Monguno And National Security In 2022

      Gowon Wants Acting DG to Build on NYSC Founding Fathers’ Legacies

      INEC boss Mahmood Yakubu

      INEC Insists No PVC, No Voting, Says BVAS Secure

    • Government
      • Yemi-Esan Receives ISO 9001:2015 Certificate for OHCSF

        Nasir Kwarra Chairman National Population Commission NPC

        Nigeria Population: Finally, NPC Fixes Dates for Nationwide Census 2023

        Abubakar Malami, SAN, Minister of Justice

        How Ministry of Justice Saved N1442bn, $507m from Judgement Liabilities, Malami…

        Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan

        FG to Build 116 Housing Units for Civil Servants

        Godwin Emefiele CBN Governor

        DSS Denies Invading CBN as Emefiele Resumes in Full Force

  • Security
    • Nigerian Navy

      Nigerian Navy Clears Air on Condition of War Ship ‘Thunder’

      NSCDC: Imam Takes Over as New Commandant of Akwa Ibom State

      2023 Elections: Lawyers Must Play Leading Role in Making Best Choice…

      INEC

      INSECURITY: How Safe is Nigeria for 2023 Polls? By MUKHTAR Ya’u…

      EXCLUSIVE: How Nigerian Military Responded to Airstrikes in Niger, Nasarawa –…

  • Features
    • CP Sadiq Abubakar: The Sheriff of FCT Police Command

      INEC

      INSECURITY: How Safe is Nigeria for 2023 Polls? By MUKHTAR Ya’u…

      Police Boss IGP Alkali Usman Baba

      General Elections: IGP Tasks Officers on Professionalism, Neutrality

      Nigerian Military Troops

      Nigerian Military: Between Enhancing Security and Penalizing Misconducts

      CDS Gen Lucky Irabor

      GENERAL LEO IRABOR: The Man for the Job

  • State
    • Salihu Mustafha

      Kwara APC Senatorial Candidate Pledges to Sponsor Bills Defending Labour Laws

      DG, FCT Emergency Management Agency, Abbas IDris

      FCTA Introduces ‘Emergency Marshals’ to Avert Hazard in Abuja

      EFCC Denies Grilling Mustapha, Kwara APC Senatorial Candidate

      Buhari inaugurates Reference Hospital, Massive Projects Constructed by Gov Yahaya Bello…

      PSC Suspends ASP Drambi Vandi over Death of Female Lawyer

  • Event
    • 12 Things you Should Know about Armed Forces Remembrance Day in…

      Buk 92 Class 30th Anniversary

      PHOTOS: WhatsApp Reunites BUK 92 Class After 30 Years… As Old…

      Nigerian Navy Charges Personnel On Discipline, Professionalism

      President Buhari Hails CDI Gen Samuel Adebayo on Defence Intelligence, Staff…

      At Ceremonial Sunset, Naval Chief Honours Officers who Freed 250 Abducted…

Home Security Boys to Men in Military Service: Tribute to Brig Olayinka &...
  • Security

Boys to Men in Military Service: Tribute to Brig Olayinka & Abdulkadir

By
Ahmed Mamudu
-
June 2, 2021
Late Brig Generals Olayinka and Abdulkadir
Late Brig Generals Olayinka and Abdulkadir

Boys to men, in service of our fatherland….. A Tribute to Late Brig Olayinka, Abdulkafir
By Ahmed Mamudu

August of 1981 will remain indelible in the lives of many ex-boys and their families, it sets the stage for an odyssey that will span the next 40 years.

That year, two precocious boys, along with several of their course mates received a “call to arms” that provoked the beginning of an adventure that would last a lifetime.

Barely old enough to properly wash the center of their back, with trepidation generously mixed with reluctance in their hearts and a natural apprehension for an unknown future clouding their eyes, they set off alone.

They set off armed only with faltering courage as a companion, to the boarding facilities at the terrifying, fear-inducing, nightmare provoking, boys-only military secondary school in the ancient town of Zaria. Their destination? The prestigious Nigerian Military School (NMS), PMB 1012, Zaria, Kaduna State.

Among the intrepid adventurers was a native of Ikorodu in Lagos State and the other tenacious boy hailed from Kontagora in Niger State. NMS their alma mater brought them together for the first time in 1981.

In August, Zaria is chilly but not cold. That famous Zaria harmattan that forces you to avoid baths, dries your lips, and shrinks your privates was on the horizon! The biting northeasterly winds hadn’t yet descended on the ancient Kingdom, which was a blessing because every boy arrives symbolically naked, expected to drop all civilian identifiers and mannerisms as they pass through the NMS school gate for the first time.

A boy immediately assumes the designation and numbers that would follow him for the rest of his life. This design becomes so much a part of who boys are that I bet, if you know any Exboy, chances are that his NMS number is his ATM or device PIN!

At the time, Company lines (Dormitory) in NMS consisted of six Companies (called Houses in civilian schools) namely Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, and Foxtrot company.

So, in 1981 our protagonist from Ikorodu became NMS/81/579 Boy Olatunji Lookman Olayinka of Echo company and the other from Kontagora, NMS/81/588 Boy Idrisu Abdulkadir of Bravo Company.

They were immediately absorbed into school life, adopted into families composed of their “masters” in form 2, form 3, form 4, and the ultimate form 5 boys, who all mentored, molded, and schooled them in everything from personal hygiene to responsibility, respect, comportment, leadership, and patriotism!

They taught & learned other skills from their classmates, such as dodging unnecessary activities, tapping useful items like shoes, provisions, and even pillows. They also learned how to be stoic, to protect one another from harm, to keep secrets or confidence, to trust a brother, and to always cover the back of a comrade, they learned how to nourish the trust and respect of their class/course mates.

The mentoring system in NMS teaches several life skills at a very early age, and by the second year, a boy is already passing on those skills to the next set of ‘crabs’ thereby beginning his own training in leadership, which continues until he graduates…

The training curriculum at NMS is divided between academics and military training, such that after five years most boys are dexterous in military skills like marching/drill and weapons handling, while also focusing on academic proficiency. Sacroscant time is also set aside for spiritual study and practice, sports, social activities like literary and debate outing/competitions against neighboring schools, and even bush camp to hone the military skills and practice them in an environment conducive for its application.

Under these busy and demanding schedules boys are turned from ‘bloody civilians’ into ‘bootlaces’ then ‘Crabs’ before becoming ‘Baggers’, then ‘Senior boys’ and finally ‘Lords’! Ahhh to be a Lord was a glorious, self-indulgent thing!

As time progressed and their skills became apparent, Boy Abdulkadir excelled in sports generally but football in particular and became known as Alooma – Katako (Libero). He was the last line of defense on the football team, Once Alooma Katako was beaten by an attacker, then all hope of not conceding a goal was lost! Alooma was also good at the triple jump, basketball, volleyball, and handball!

Boy Lookman on the other hand was in the drum corps, he was an excellent basketball player, a gifted handball goalkeeper and a socialite as most people from Lagos are wont to be. He was a talented break-dancer who along with six others, surreptitiously know as ‘The Heartbreakers’ unofficially represented NMS at a dancing competition held at Command Secondary School in Kakuri, Kaduna.

Victory! ‘The Heartbreakers’ placed second in that dance competition. Meanwhile, Commandant NMS became aware of their victory from the NEWS and suspension was their reward! Funny things happen when you dodge in NMS!

NMS is the grooming ground for future leaders and boys who progress to the Nigerian Defence Academy are seen as pureblood military officers, because of their early induction into the system. So talented in sports, secure in academics and socially active, Boy Abdulkadir and Boy Olayinka, secured admission into the elite Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to become commissioned officers in the Nigerian Army. On successful completion of officer training, both of them were commissioned as officers of the Nigerian Army and posted to the same Corps, the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police. Their brotherhood was cast!

Destiny had made brothers of two strangers! Love does not see North and South, it doesn’t see Ibo or Fulani, these two became fast and loyal confidants, encouraging one another through a fantastically dangerous yet beautiful career and a life of sacrifice and patriotic service.

Rising through the ranks from subalterns to the envious rank of Brigadier-General in the Nigerian Army, both of them served within and outside Nigeria. Their postings and missions to different locations traversed the length and breadth of the country. They attended several courses and seminars at home and abroad, and lately emerging as commanders in their own right.

Their final postings:

From humble beginnings as Boy Olatunji Lookman Olayinka of Echo Company, emerged Brigadier-General Olatunji Lookman Olayinka, Acting Provost Marshall, Nigeria Army.

And Boy Idrisu Abdulkadir of Bravo Company blossomed to become Brigadier-General Idrisu Abdulkadir, Chief of Staff, to the Chief of Army Staff, Nigerian Army.

Inna lilahi wa Inna ilaihi rajiun ~ From Allah we come & to him is our return.

They met in 1981 so that when they set forth on their final journey 40 years later in the fatal air force plane crash on the 21st of May 2021 at Kaduna airport, they wouldn’t be alone. They would be in the company of each other, and 9 other brothers at arms. And so, perhaps in the last moments when they entered that ill-fated aircraft together, they might not have been sure of anything, except their loyalty to God, their country, the President, the Chief of Army Staff, and to one another…

Rest in peace, Sons, fathers, brothers, uncles, nephews, cousins, warriors, heroes, and patriots:

1. Lieutenant – General Ibrahim Attahiru
2. Brigadier General Idrisu Abdulkadir
3. Brigadier General Olatunji Lookman Olayinka
4. Brigadier General AU Kuliya
5. Major LA Hayat
6. Major Hamza
7. Sergeant Umar
8. Flight Lieutenant TO Asaniyi
9. Flight Lieutenant AA Olufade
10. Sergeant Adesina
11. ACM Oyedepo

~ Ahmed Mamudu

naija politics news

Kidnapped School Children

Yauri FGC Students, Kebbi
592 days 20 hours 32 minutes 45 seconds,

Baptist School Students, Kaduna
574 days 22 hours 14 minutes 10 seconds

Tegina Islamiya Pupils, Niger (Freed)
Spent 88 days from May 30, 2021 - August 26, 2021


Report By: PRNigeria.com

 
VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • nigerian army
Previous articleConfusion Trails Cause of Death of NECO Registrar, Godswill Obioma
Next articleArmy Chief Harps on Air Power for Counter-Insurgency
Ahmed Mamudu
https://prnigeria.com
PRNigeria is the pioneer Press Release Distribution agency in Nigeria. A member of image Merchant Promotions limited, PRNigeria encourages individuals and organisations to be more transparent in their information management. with dedicated Editorial staffs, the PRNigeria ensures that information provided on its platforms are timely, factual and authoritative Read more at: //prnigeria.com/about/

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Nigerian Navy

Nigerian Navy Clears Air on Condition of War Ship ‘Thunder’

Yemi-Esan Receives ISO 9001:2015 Certificate for OHCSF

NSCDC: Imam Takes Over as New Commandant of Akwa Ibom State

Salihu Mustafha

Kwara APC Senatorial Candidate Pledges to Sponsor Bills Defending Labour Laws

2023 Elections: Lawyers Must Play Leading Role in Making Best Choice for Nigeria – NBA

CP Sadiq Abubakar: The Sheriff of FCT Police Command

Department of State Service, DSS

DSS Intercept Syndicates Selling New Naira Note, Bank Officials Implicated

Gen Ibrahim Ali takes over from Christopher Musa as Theatre Commander, ‘Operation Hadin Kai’

INEC

INSECURITY: How Safe is Nigeria for 2023 Polls? By MUKHTAR Ya’u Madobi

FACT-CHECK:  Were Trucks Loaded with Old Naira Notes ‘Belonging to Tinubu’ Intercepted in Lagos?

EXCLUSIVE: How Nigerian Military Responded to Airstrikes in Niger, Nasarawa – Sources

LAUGHABLE: Court set for judgment in suit seeking Buhari’s Removal and Stop 2023 Presidential Election

  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
X whatsapp