Akin Osuntokun, Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), has warned that Nigeria is slipping back into a dangerous culture of “military messianism” following a recent viral incident involving naval personnel, which he described as a clear violation of the Constitution.
Speaking in an interview with Arise News on Monday, Osuntokun said public attention has been misplaced, focusing on the drama between the Minister and naval officers rather than the constitutional breach committed by the military.
“It’s not a question of two institutions interacting. It is a situation of the violation of the Nigerian Constitution.
“The naval personnel involved clearly acted beyond their constitutional mandate.
”Their role adds nothing to what they were doing, ” he said.
Osuntokun cautioned that the growing public admiration for military assertiveness regardless of legality, threatens to revive authoritarian tendencies.
“I’ve seen a lot of romanticisation of rogue behaviour, and it’s very dangerous.
”Nigerians are prepared to look the other way if someone portrays himself as a messiah, regardless of the law,” he said.
He linked the behaviour to lingering distortions in civil-military relations, a legacy of decades of military rule.
“Before 1999, we had more military dictatorship than civilian governance.
”This affected our perception of the proper role of the military. They are not meant to interface with civilians on a daily basis, ” he said.
Highlighting the constitutional limits of military authority, Osuntokun noted.
“The only person vested with authority over the military is the President. Even he cannot deploy the military to settle personal matters.
”The actions of these officers were wholly outside the law, ” he added.
He also condemned the use of the military for private errands and criticised retired officers who publicly supported the actions.
“A man in uniform embodies the Nigerian Constitution only in the lawful execution of his duties not as an errand boy to occupy private land or settle personal matters,” he said.
Osuntokun called for urgent civic and constitutional education to strengthen democratic oversight of the military.
“Institutions like the National Orientation Agency must revive civic education to reinforce the limits of military authority.
”Nigerians must understand the constitutional role of the military to prevent a relapse into military rule syndrome.
“Any admiration of unconstitutional military behaviour signals a dangerous disconnect between citizens and democratic values.
”If you are prepared to think for somebody at the expense of your own country, then something is wrong, ” he added.
NIIA fellow warns Nigeria against resurgence of “military messianism”
Akin Osuntokun, Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), has warned that Nigeria is slipping back into a dangerous culture of “military messianism” following a recent viral incident involving naval personnel, which he described as a clear violation of the Constitution.
Speaking in an interview with Arise News on Monday, Osuntokun said public attention has been misplaced, focusing on the drama between the Minister and naval officers rather than the constitutional breach committed by the military.
“It’s not a question of two institutions interacting. It is a situation of the violation of the Nigerian Constitution.
“The naval personnel involved clearly acted beyond their constitutional mandate.
”Their role adds nothing to what they were doing, ” he said.
Osuntokun cautioned that the growing public admiration for military assertiveness regardless of legality, threatens to revive authoritarian tendencies.
“I’ve seen a lot of romanticisation of rogue behaviour, and it’s very dangerous.
”Nigerians are prepared to look the other way if someone portrays himself as a messiah, regardless of the law,” he said.
He linked the behaviour to lingering distortions in civil-military relations, a legacy of decades of military rule.
“Before 1999, we had more military dictatorship than civilian governance.
”This affected our perception of the proper role of the military. They are not meant to interface with civilians on a daily basis, ” he said.
Highlighting the constitutional limits of military authority, Osuntokun noted.
“The only person vested with authority over the military is the President. Even he cannot deploy the military to settle personal matters.
”The actions of these officers were wholly outside the law, ” he added.
He also condemned the use of the military for private errands and criticised retired officers who publicly supported the actions.
“A man in uniform embodies the Nigerian Constitution only in the lawful execution of his duties not as an errand boy to occupy private land or settle personal matters,” he said.
Osuntokun called for urgent civic and constitutional education to strengthen democratic oversight of the military.
“Institutions like the National Orientation Agency must revive civic education to reinforce the limits of military authority.
”Nigerians must understand the constitutional role of the military to prevent a relapse into military rule syndrome.
“Any admiration of unconstitutional military behaviour signals a dangerous disconnect between citizens and democratic values.
”If you are prepared to think for somebody at the expense of your own country, then something is wrong, ” he added.
