The military high command, on Thursday, paid last respect to the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, who died on Tuesday, November 5, after a brief illness.
Lagbja’s corpse departed for Abuja on Thursday morning shortly after top military personnel and other dignitaries, including the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, and other dignitaries paid their last respects in his honour at the Air Force wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Ikeja.
The body, which was brought from a mortuary in the state, arrived at the Nigerian Air Force wing in a cream-coloured SUV hearse at exactly 9 am.
It was thereafter received by soldiers of the Guards Brigade who held a military parade on the strip of the Air Force wing
His remains later arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at exactly 12:16 pm, in preparation for his final interment.
Upon arrival at the Abuja airport, a guard of honour was accorded the body, with top military officers on the ground to receive it.
The deceased, according to the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, would be buried at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja today (Friday).
A service of songs was held in his honour in Abuja, on Thursday.
Lagbaja only person to command a battalion twice – Coursemate
The Commander of Training and Doctrine Command, Maj Gen Kelvin Aligbe, praised the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Lagbaja, as an extraordinary military leader.
He said little wonder he was the only officer to command a battalion twice.
Aligbe spoke on behalf of the 39 Regular Course at the Songs of Service ceremony.
Reflecting on their shared journey, Aligbe recalled their commissioning as part of the 39 Regular Course on September 12, 1987, where 199 officer cadets began their training to join the armed forces.
He added that from the beginning, Lagbaja stood out as a born leader.
He said, “On the 12th of September, 1987, I, then officer cadet, Taoreed Lagbaja, and 199 of us assembled for training as members of the 39 regular corps.
“We trained and were commissioned together into the armed forces. Right from time, he led with no doubt. He was, first and foremost, an operational commander.
“Little wonder that while commands in the services are sometimes difficult to come by, he had the privilege of being the only person, if my memory serves me right, to have commanded a battalion at two different times.
He commanded brigades at two different times. He was a general commanding at two different times.”
He urged the military community to embody the values of service and dedication that Lagbaja held dear.
Aligbe said, “He was primed for the operation that he led, through which, even though they say soldiers don’t die, his memories fade away.
“The only way I and my course mates and the other members of the armed forces, officers and soldiers that he left behind can honour his memory truly is to continue what he believed in. He believed in the indivisibility of Nigeria.
“He believed in service. He gave everything at the risk of sounding immodest. I don’t know if we gave him enough.”
Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association, Bilikisu Ibrahim described Lagabaja as a man of faith whose spirit was rooted in devotion and conviction.
She said, “To those he served, he was a pillar of protection, an unwavering beacon amidst storms of insanity and threats.
“But beyond our soldiers was a man of faith, a spirit rooted in devotion and conviction. In the trials of duty, he held fast to his spirituality, finding in prayers the fortitude that guided him through the darkest battles.
His beliefs were his anchor, a quiet force that strengthened him as he led a sacrifice for the nation he loved.
“His life was not only a mission of arms but of the heart. A journey where faith met duty and courage met compassion. As we gather hands held in solace and grief, we recall the gentleness in his smile, the depth of his wisdom, the vision that he led armies and inspired peace.”
The Global President of St Charles Old Boys Association, Tade Adekunle, who read a poem written by a Senior Secondary School Two student of the school, described Lagabaja as an immortal hero.
He said, “The immortal hero, a militant heart, now still and cold. The nation mourns, both young and old. A warrior’s soul, a poet’s might. On the field of faith, you shone so bright.
“With every piece of bread, you shield our motherland. Leading brave men with a steadfast hand, both now empty. Blade of honour now laid down.
“Its cannon’s cry extinguished, yet legend remains. A warrior’s pulse now stilled in time. On the altar of freedom, you laid your life, your sacrifice, our beacon of hope.”
In a statement, President Bola Tinubu extended his heartfelt condolences to the late army chief’s family and the Nigerian Armed Forces.
(PUNCH)