Major General David Ejoor [1932 – 2019]

One of the last remaining titans of the first military and civil war eras, retired Major-General David Ejoor died on Sunday last week, February 10 at the age of 87. He is best remembered as the first military governor of the Midwestern Region, made up of the present Edo and Delta States. Ejoor was born […]

One of the last remaining titans of the first military and civil war eras, retired Major-General David Ejoor died on Sunday last week, February 10 at the age of 87. He is best remembered as the first military governor of the Midwestern Region, made up of the present Edo and Delta States.

Ejoor was born in Ovu, now in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State. He attended Government College, Ughelli (GCU). He made history as one of the first Nigerian officer cadets to get Regular Commission into the Nigerian Army in the process of indigenizing the officer corps in the early 1950s. David Ejoor graduated from the prestigious Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, UK, in 1956.

On October 1, 1960, the then Captain David Ejoor had the historic fortune of commanding the Army Guard at the dawn of independence. Following his performance as a member of the United Nations Peace Keeping Force in the Congo from December 1960 to July 1961, he was promoted to the rank of Major. He was credited with designing the Nigerian Army cap, badge and rank insignias.

He was later promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and commanded the Army Battalion in Enugu at the time of Nigeria’s first military coup on January 15, 1966, during which he helped to foil the coup. Ejoor was appointed Military Governor of the Midwest Region and member of the Supreme Military Council (SMC), the country’s highest ruling body from January 1966 – August 1967. He became the first Nigerian Commandant of the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) in January 1969 – January 1971, and rose to become the Chief of Army Staff, January 1971 – July 1975.

Ejoor, a fervent federalist, survived several assassination attempts during the Nigerian civil war. Several versions report how he fled from his base in Benin, the capital of the Midwest Region, following an invasion by the secessionist army. David Ejoor’s commitment to the unity of Nigeria was not in doubt and he subsequently became President-General of the Urhobo Progress Union.  Later  in life he drafted a defence policy for Nigeria, an indication of the respect accorded him by the military. He earned two Nigerian national honours, Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) and Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON.

President Muhammadu Buhari expressed his sadness at the news of the death of the former Chief of Army Staff. The president extended heartfelt commiserations to the Ejoor family, the Urhobo nation, and the government and people of Delta State on the demise of the elder statesman and courageous officer, who had a distinguished career in the military and remarkable service to the nation.

Buhari, who prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed senior citizen and comfort for all who mourn the much-respected octogenarian, said that as the first Governor of Mid-Western Region, during one of the darkest years in the nation’s history, and first indigenous Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy  (NDA), who also held many other national leadership positions,  Gen. Ejoor, as a hardworking military officer whose loyalty, commitment and dedication to the unity of the country were never in doubt.

President Buhari affirmed that the former Army Chief, who was once the President-General of the Urhobo Progress Union, will be long remembered and honoured as a man of positive character and vision, who provided profound inspiration to countless military officers and Nigerians that came in close contact with him.

David Ejoor was a man of peace and unquestionable diligence and professionalism whose death is a great loss to Nigeria. He lived an impactful life and contributed immensely to Nigeria and he etched his name in gold in the country’s history. We all have a collective duty to keep alive his  patriotic duty for a peaceful and secured country. May his soul rest in perfect peace.