The erstwhile Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, has said that the peace of the nation will be guaranteed with the appointment of Major General Chris Musa as his successor, saying that a better officer could have been difficult to find.
General Irabor spoke at a reception organized for him by the Ika nation in Agbor yesterday just as Governor Sheriff Oborevwori urged all other ethnic nationalities in Delta and Nigeria to emulate the unity of the Ika nation which, he said, led to the kind of reception that attracted dignitaries from across the nation.
The reception which was populated by serving and retired generals led by the CDS, Major-General CG Musa, accompanied by his wife also had former defence and army chiefs including General Alex Ogomudia, Lt General Azubike Ihejirika, among other as dignitaries, in attendance.
Other dignitaries present at the event included the deputy governor of Delta State, Mr Monday Onyeme, the speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, the Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, Chairman of Thisday/Arise News, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, Chief Nduka Irabor, the Dein of Agbor, Dr Benjamin Ikenchukwu, the Obi of Owa, Dr Emmanuel Efeziormor, Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo as well as Senator Uche Ekwunife.
Speaking at the event, Irabor asserted that the peace of the nation was guaranteed with the appointment of Gen Musa and other new Service Chiefs. “I am glad that your pedigree is well known and I am happy that no other person was chosen to be the Chief of defence Staff at this time. Let me use this opportunity to assure the nation that with CG Musa as CDS we certainly are well pleased and the security and defence of our nation is in good hands.
“The growth and development of the armed forces is in good hands and so be rest assured that Musa along with his team of Service Chiefs will do the best to ensure that they increase or escalate the approaches that we have established to ensure that within our nation that there will be no problem of insecurity.”
Admiring the turnout of dignitaries across the nation and the presence of the different clans in Ika nation at the ceremony, Governor Oborevwori said: “You can see that this is not a hired crowd. You can see that the unity of the Ika nation has brought about this hosting. God will bless Ika nation.
“As governor, it is my duty to encourage other ethnic nationalities to continue to unite and to host their own and that will spur them to continue to do more. A lot has been said about our brother Gen. Irabor. Almost at the point of retirement, he was made the Chief of Defence Staff. And he has done very well as a brilliant officer. One thing I find about him is that he is someone that has a passion to serve. He is committed, very focused in all his doing and I am very sure that the person that has taken over from you, CG Musa is somebody that I know for almost two decades. He is also a fine officer and I know with him, peace will come to this nation,” he declared.