Precious Igbonwelundu
IT was a crowd like never before seen inside the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC) Oshodi. Primary school pupils lined the stretch from the entrance of the football field down to the main gate waving the Nigerian flag and banners inscribed “As you retire from NAFRC, Sir, do not be tired of doing the good work to humanity; God bless you sir; Sir, your service to NAFRC and the nation is highly commendable…”
This is as shop owners at the centre’s Mammy Market also lifted banners with heartwarming inscriptions to bid farewell to Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Kingsley Lar, whose 10-month tenure as Commandant NAFRC witnessed remarkable infrastructural and environmental transformation.
These groups were not alone in the show of love as human and vehicular traffic into the centre that Wednesday was unusual. Motorists were redirected to inner streets and quarters to scout for parking spaces as mammoth crowd converged on the parade ground at NAFRC headquarters.
The event was the farewell parade and pulling out ceremony of AVM Lar who clocked 56 years on November 4 and in accordance with military rule, had to retire despite that his course would reach the mandatory 35 years on July 21, 2021.
Although the crowd cut across various socio-economic and ethno-religious strata; they shared a similarity in their affection towards and description of AVM Lar whom they all defied the heavy rains and accompanying paralyzing traffic that Wednesday morning to honour.
The love was palpable, infectious such that reporters who trekked from the parade ground to the main entrance to cover the pulling out ceremony were spellbound by the outpouring of affection towards AVM Lar who together with his wife, Mrs. Sheila, waved ceaselessly to the cheering crowd from the open-roof van they rode in.
While the military personnel who were pulling the vehicle marched majestically to the rhythm of the band, hundreds of civilians who walked on the sides narrated how the senior officer impacted their lives one way or the other. Both the rich and poor who had discussions in their cliques were full of praises for AVM Lar including some of his course mates who described him as a rallying point and master strategist.
Prior to Wednesday, NAFRC organised series of events beginning with a Jumaat prayer and Tennis games on Friday, October 30; Gulf Tournament; interdenominatal thanksgiving service and dinner on Saturday, Sunday and Monday respectively.
Overwhelmed by the outpouring of love towards him, an emotional AVM Lar in his valedictory address thanked God for bringing him to the limelight through the military from village in Panshin, Plateau State despite that he never wanted to join the Armed Forces.
He recalled how God picked him from a village with just 21 compounds, till date, to honour him, describing his sojourn to the military as an act of divine providence.
“When I arrived in Lagos as a four-year-old in 1968, I never in my wildest imagination contemplated that 52 years after, God, in his infinite mercies will grant me the opportunity to end my very eventful and meritorious military career here in Lagos where I started a new life after my place of birth, Panshin, as a little boy.
“It was on August 1, 1978, exactly 42 years, two months and fifteen days ago, that I began my military career as a soldier. I would like to place on record that but for my dear friend, now Barr. Similola Diya, I probably will not be standing here.
“I recall that in September 1982, shortly after I resumed form five in the Nigeria Military School (NMS), it was a Saturday and the day we were to write the entrance examination into the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) for the 34th Regular Course.
“That morning I decided that I was not going for that exam. Even though the school bus that was arranged to take us parked at the back of my room being the number one room in the NMS, I decided that I was not going to take the exam.
“But my dear classmate, Barr. Similola Diya, came to my room and compelled me against my will to go to Kaduna to take the entrance exam that eventually got me into the Nigeria Defence Academy, as a member of the 34th Regular Combatant course in the military.
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“God in his infinite mercies made room for me and today to his glory, I have attained this high rank of AVM and have the opportunity to contribute my own quota to the growth and development of the Armed Forces and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“It might interest you all to know that my village, even as we speak today, has only 21 compounds. This is to tell you that I come from a very small town and yet by the grace of God, here I am being celebrated by all of you”.
AVM Lar urged Nigerians to love the country and speak good about it, adding that everyone must contribute their parts to peace and unity.
Recounting how the country trained him through school.
“I hereby charge us to continue to love Nigeria and continue to speak good about this country. Stop complaining about what leaders are doing or not doing.
“Yes, things may not be as we want to see them. But what are we doing in our own small space to add value? Let us begin to do something from our own small corners so that together we can build a more united and greater Nigeria.
“We all have a stake in this country. If Nigeria goes into chaos, we will all be consumed by that chaos. So, we must do our part to ensure Nigeria continues to wax stronger and becomes greater.
“I can tell you boldly that but for Nigeria, I will not be standing here this morning. I have the privilege of going to school- from primary level, the NMS and the NDA at no cost. Nigeria has sustained me from that time until now and I am grateful,” he said.
AVM Lar appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for alleviating the pains of retired military personnel, just as he thanked the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar for finding him, an Air Provost officer, worthy of significant and strategic appointments in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
In an interview with reporters, Lar’s coursemate, Maj.-Gen. Olusimilola Soneye, narrated how the retired AVM made him pick interest in golf. He said he was thankful to have known Lar since their days at the NDA, describing him as a committed and hardworking man who proved his worth at every given assignment .
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