Danjuma: Deconstructing a legend at 76
As in each year though, media outfits were awash with outpouring of birthday advertorials of well wishers, airlines got more passengers en route Lagos and good food and wine flowed like river. But it appears the very reasonable and always politically correct General scaled down this year’s celebrations. This, I suspect, was due to the […]
As in each year though, media outfits were awash with outpouring of birthday advertorials of well wishers, airlines got more passengers en route Lagos and good food and wine flowed like river. But it appears the very reasonable and always politically correct General scaled down this year’s celebrations. This, I suspect, was due to the prevailing historic events around us at the time: two continental giants were being mourned- Chief Solomon Lar and the global icon, Madiba Nelson Mandela. But even in this somewhat globally somber atmosphere everyone still had fun. We were all there to fete the living legend himself last Monday in a small ceremony at his modest home somewhere in highbrow Victoria Island, Lagos. I said “small” because last year’s was extraordinary. Last year’s version was held at the classy Eko hotel and at hand to perform were the biggest names in the Nigerian music scene: D’Banj, Tiwa Savage, Omawumi, and Wizkid. It was a night to remember. And the guests list was equally in the ‘A” category as the entire royalty of the upper society was there.
This year’s modest event was also superlative as there can’t be anything “small” about the colossus we were gathered to celebrate. General Danjuma is unarguably the biggest issue in the history of this country- a war time hero, a business man of global standing, a nationalist and an adviser of Presidents all over the world. He is feared as well as respected. He is loved by many, admired by all and, by a consensus, even his harshest critics think highly of him. And as the music blared and the night wore on the occasion, Danjuma took to the floor (he probably dances only once in a year. This was the second time I would see him dance; his steps are inimitable. He dances like the warrior he is and the gentleman he has always been. Last year at his birthday, it was D’Banj who was belting his “Oliver Twist” hit and had the good fortune of the general dancing to it.
Beyond all the distortions of some armchair historians alluding to all sorts of superhuman heroism (and he is a hero no doubt), General Danjuma is human after all, and a very humane one too. I see that in the way he stands up respectfully to welcome all his visitors. At a point during the occasion I could see him supervising the tables to ensure guests were well taken care of. And there was the matronly Senator Daisy Danjuma, his wife. She is always a delight to behold. On such occasions, she is all the mother dishing out presents and drinks around the tables.
You would not find her timidly sitting or waiting to be served. She could make the perfect memoir on what being the wife to the Gam Gbaro (Field Marshall) means. There was also Musa Danjuma- younger brother of General Danjuma with his famous actress wife- Caroline. They are clearly a super couple and were it not for the fact that Musa appears to be media shy, they would have since taken over as Nigeria’s hottest couple- because that is really what they are. As far the marriage institution is concerned, it appears the Danjumas have a pact with the South-South. Senator Daisy is from Edo state, Caroline from Cross Rivers. Also in attendance was another December boy, former governor of Taraba state, Rev. Jolly Nyame.
Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha was there too. The senator and General Danjuma go back a long way. Speaking recently concerning the General, Bwacha said “he is a good man and very God fearing.
I’m a student of the General’s persona. One thing that strikes me about this man is his fearlessness. Now, fear is a very human emotion. Today, the nation is peopled with cowards of various cadre- men who can’t speak out against anything!
Men and women who just sit down, keeping quiet in the face of impunity. There is a courage deficit out here. In fact, we love to applause anyone courageous enough to lay bare their minds on any issue. It is simply not in our character to be forthright, bold and straightforward. But General Danjuma has established himself as the apostle of straight talk. And because he fears no man but God, the almighty has caused men to be afraid of him- evil men, that is. Even now at this age- a time when people just want to be quiet and enjoy the fruits of their labour, General still comments on local, national and global matters- irrespective of their controversial nature. Like his ilk, he could choose to remain in the background, go round the world to play golf and generally be a libertine. He could do just that and no one would even bat an eyelid. But no! For this General, the war is not over yet: he has got diseases, ignorance and injustice to fight.
He recently denounced the rot in the nation’s judiciary – a path even angels fear to tread. He has confronted fellow northern leaders on the need to change tactics. He has warned religious leaders not to soil their conscience. He has admonished world leaders on various matters. He has refused to compromise when that would have been the easiest thing to do.
All of these, just the tip of the iceberg and all in a day’s job for a man that is increasingly being identified as the people’s General.
Bello, former Taraba State commissioner of information, wrote from Jalingo