General Irabor @60 and the Scars that Tell Nigeria’s Story By Abdulsalam Mahmud
There are some men whose names, when mentioned, instantly call to mind courage, service and sacrifice. General Lucky Eluonye Onyenuchea Irabor (rtd), Nigeria’s 17th Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), belongs to this rare breed.
His life has been one long march of duty, from the heat of battlefields in the North East to the calm reflections of retirement. And now, as he clocks sixty, he gifts the nation something profound—a book.
The book is titled, “Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum.” It is not just another memoir, nor is it a mere soldier’s recollection of campaigns and victories.
It is a sober reflection, a document of memory and a mirror held up to a nation still wrestling with the pain of insurgency.
General Irabor writes not as a distant commentator but as one who carried the burden, who commanded men in the dust and fire of battle, who saw the tears of fallen heroes’ widows, the rubble of schools and other infrastructural facilities, and the resilience of displaced villagers, all across the North East.
It takes courage to fight with guns, but it takes even greater courage to open one’s heart and write about the scars that remain when the battles are done. That is what makes this book a landmark in Nigeria’s journey of understanding itself.
“Scars” is a testimony of service, but also an invitation to national introspection. It speaks of strategy and sacrifice, but also of hope—because scars, though painful, are signs of healing.
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The choice of this moment is no accident. At sixty, General Irabor has reached the age when a man looks back, not just at what he has achieved, but at what lessons he must leave behind.
For Nigeria, this is more than a book launch; it is an opportunity to listen to one of her finest sons share wisdom born from the trenches of war and the quiet rooms of high command.
Those who knew General Irabor during his years in service remember a leader who carried himself with calm dignity even when the nation trembled. He was steady when politics threatened to overshadow security.
He was thoughtful when haste could have led to disaster. And he was humane, always mindful that beyond the statistics of conflict were real lives yearning for peace.
The launch of “Scars” at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja today, is therefore more than a literary event. It is a celebration of a life woven deeply into the story of Nigeria’s struggle and survival.
It is also a fitting prelude to the General’s 60th birthday—a day to honour not just the soldier, but the statesman, the mentor and the patriot.
When the first pages of this book are turned, Nigerians will not just encounter the story of Boko Haram; they will encounter the voice of a man who has given his life to ensuring that this nation remains one.
And perhaps, in those pages, the country will find not only memories of scars but pathways to healing. General Irabor has fought with arms, now he fights with words. Both are weapons of service. Both are gifts to Nigeria.
Mahmud, Deputy Editor of PRNigeria and the author of “General Leo Irabor, The Pearl of Defence”, wrote in via: 08067492272
