GIVING HONOUR TO WHOM HONOUR IS DUE, RE-NAMING ARMY BARRACKS EFFURUN, NEAR WARRI IN DELTA STATE AS DAVID AKPODE EJOOR BARRACKS

GIVING HONOUR TO WHOM HONOUR IS DUE, RE-NAMING ARMY BARRACKS EFFURUN, NEAR WARRI IN DELTA STATE AS DAVID AKPODE EJOOR BARRACKS

By Zik Gbemre

It was only some months ago that we expressed our sincere deep condolences to the family of the Ejoors, over the unfortunate death of their father, grandfather and uncle, Major General David Akpode Ejoor, who was said to have died at an undisclosed hospital in Lagos, precisely on Sunday afternoon, February 10, 2019. With the death of this octogenarian, who was the erstwhile Chief of Army Staff and the first Military Governor for the Mid-West Province; Nigeria had indeed lost another of its heroes, whom we believe is still yet to be honoured and immortalized as he ought to be remembered.

For some years now, we have been appealing to past and present Federal Governments to rename the Army Barracks Effurun (near Warri) to its initial name as the David Ejoor Barracks). The said Army Barracks located in Effurun near Warri, Delta State, was actually named after Major General David Akpode Ejoor  by the Military Government.  At the time, we saw it as a justifiable honour, given the fact that he was the first Army General ever to have emerged from the region where the barracks is sited, as well as the first Military Governor of Mid-West Province, which later became known as Midwest Region and Bendel State. But somewhere along the line – specifically during the civilian administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the name (David Akpode Ejoor Barracks) was jettisoned, and reverted to Army Barracks Effurun.

And according to Maj. Gen. David Ejoor, he told me in one of the interviews I had with him, that Obasanjo changed the name of the said Army Barracks which was named after him, out of jealous/envy and nothing else. While we cannot know exactly what must have transpired between Obasanjo and Ejoor to warrant this, but one pertinent question to ask is: Was the proper or set-down procedure or legislation followed in the naming of the barracks as Gen. David Akpode Ejoor Barracks? If due process was followed, the next question is: Was due process equally followed before the name of the same barracks was reverted/re-named to Army Barracks Effurun?

I have been privileged to have one-on-one interview with Maj. Gen. David Akpode Ejoor, in some occasions, to discuss about the affairs of the Nigerian state. Because of his ‘open door policy’, I was actually planning to see him again in January 2019, to learn from his great wealth of knowledge and Nigerian history, but I could not make out the time to go and see him since I was outside the country. But when I came back, I had perfected plans to go and see him recently, only for me to receive the unfortunate news of his death. 

I will always remember two remarkable things David Ejoor told me during some of the interviews I had with him. The first was how instrumental he was on the choice of siting the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory Abuja. David Ejoor told me how he was given the assignment to go around the country in search of the suitable State/location that can be made the nation’s capital. And his choice of Abuja, was because of its central location (not too Northern and not too Southern), and its elevated demography and hilly nature, which he described as “hilly place”. Sadly today, his name – David Ejoor – is hardly mentioned or remembered as one of those who played a major role in the siting of Nigeria’s present Capital. The second remarkable thing he told me once, was how he was instrumental in averting a civil war in Nigeria. He told me how he convened meetings in NIFOR (Nigerian Institute For Oil Palm Research), and was also instrumental to the famous Aburi Accord Meeting, which was to bring the Igbos and the then Federal Military Government to a round table discussion as a last resort to prevent an all-out war. But today, his name is not mentioned or remembered as one of those who participated in these areas of the nation’s history.     

Even at his old age, David Ejoor was still quite energetic and full of life to always express thoughts about the nation. But in my last interview with him, he refused to say much, until I provoked him by saying that I know what caused the Nigerian civil war. And like a thunder bolt, David Ejoor sprang up with vigor, with fingers pointing at me, he exclaimed: “you say you know what caused the Nigerian war?”, more like questioning my limited knowledge of this, and his need to narrate to me the actual cause of the said civil war. The space here is just not enough to elaborate all that he had to tell me that day. Doing so will be like writing a full book. David Ejoor was someone who, despite being in the corridors of power, maintained a modest life. Since he retired, he remained an elder statesman who was very neutral and quiet on the political affairs of the Nigerian state. Ejoor was rarely seen interfering in the politics of Nigeria, neither was he in any political party. He was just living a simple and modest life, at his residence along Deco Road Warri, Dela State, which was left the way it was built.         

Having said that, it is necessary to say point blank that there is hardly anyone who does not know why Maj. Gen. David Akpode Ejoor was initially honoured by having the said Army Barracks in Effurun named after him. But for the avoidance of doubt, some of his landmark achievements that made him a national hero and legend, are that Ejoor was:

 The first person from Edo and Delta States to gain a regular commission as an officer in the Nigerian Army.

 The officer who commanded the Army Guard at the midnight Flag-raising Ceremony ushering in Nigerian independence on 1st Oct., 1960.

 The officer who designed the Army Cap Badge and Rank insignias in 1962.

 The officer who played – not just a major, but also the foremost role in establishing the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), as well as the first Nigerian Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy from 1968-1970.

 The officer who never participated in a coup, yet helped to stabilize the regime of Gen Yakubu Gowon after the chaos and confusion that followed the July 1966 coup.

 The first military Governor of mid-West region from January 1966 to 9th August, 1967.

 The Military Governor who set up the Bendel Development and Property Authority (popularly known as Bendel Estate, and now known as Delta Development and Property Authority), which planned Igbudu Estate off Deco Road in Warri, and Bendel Estate located off the popular and busy Airport Road in Ugborikoko,Effurun, near Warri, Delta State.

 The Military Governor who brought the customary courts and Sharia under the judiciary, thus stopping them from being a legal instrument used to oppress and suppress the opposition.

 The Military Governor who lifted the economic well-being of the ordinary man by legalizing the local production of Gin and setting up machinery for its refining for consumption so it can compete with imported gin. Till date, the industry still thrives, and many homes are fed through the production.

 The Military Governor who formally applied for the establishment of the University of Benin, after resettling Mid-Western University students ejected from the University of Nigeria Nsukka as a result of the impending civil war in the mid-sixties.

 The Military Governor who established the first Radio Broadcasting Station in mid-West region and made a maiden broadcast with his April 1967 Budget Speech.

 The Military Governor who laid the foundation for the National Observer to be established for the Midwestern Region;

 The Military Governor who laid the foundation for the Jattu Dam and extended the programme of bore holes as well as commissioned a number of bore holes

 Played a major role in the establishment of Koko Port as a fishing terminal in Delta State, as well as the establishment of a Salt factory in Oghara, near Sapele;

 Applied for the establishment of a refinery in Midwest State, and thus prompted the setting up of Warri Refinery,Ekpan- Effurun by the Federal Government of Nigeria;

 The first person from Edo and Delta States to become the Chief of Army Staff, and re-organized the Nigerian Army after the civil war in 1972 and planned the present/existing army barracks throughout Nigeria;

 Instrumental to bringing the Delta Steel Company, Ovwian-Aladja, Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun and the then-NEPA stations (now Ughelli Power 1-1V Stations) to the State.

Without deviating, kudos must be given to his successor (Brigadier-General Samuel Ogbemudia), who did not deviate from the Development Plan laid down by General David Ejoor, but was faithful to the execution of Ejoor’s blue-print. Having said that, it needs to be acknowledged that there is no gain-saying that Major General David Ejoor was a national hero and legend, in the sense that he is a man of no mean achievements. This was why we really wanted him to be honoured and immortalized during his lifetime. But now that he is no more, it becomes even more imperative to have his name honoured and immortalized by re-naming the said Army Barracks Effurun to his name – David Ejoor Army Barracks.  

Ejoor was a quiet, self-respecting man of integrity, who had opted to be non-partisan by refusing to dabble in politics or being a card-carrying member of any political party. Such a man deserved being awarded an honourary Doctorate degree by the Nigerian Defence Academy, instead of civilians. Ejoor was a detribalized man to whom no fraud has never been traced to his name, and who did not corner any developmental project to his Ovwor Town in Ughelli South LGA, Delta State, his native home place, as most Governors do today. Rather, his emphasis was on centralizing development to give the greatest benefit to a greater density number of people in the then Bendel State (Edo and Delta). He was also the author of “The Origin Of Urhobo Nation” – a very interesting book about the historical narrative of formation and original future aspirations of the Urhobo nation. Unlike today’s Military Generals and Chief of Staff in the Military who promote themselves above Major Generals, and so on and so forth, just to bear higher Generals Ranks, Ejoor was a different breed.  

One remarkable thing about General Ejoor was that, as much as some people would want to sweep his achievements under the carpet, he has been unavoidably recognized and honoured nationally and internationally. Some of his awards are as follow:

Military/Honourary Titles:

1. GCON – Grand Commander of Nigeria, For Saving Nigeria, 1967

2. OFR – Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

3. RCDS – Royal College of Defense Studies-UK

4. PSC – Pass Staff College

5. Hon. LLD (Doctor) – UNIBEN

National Medals:

1. Congo Medal - CM

2. Independence Medal - IM

3. Republic Medal - RM

4. Defense Service Medal - DSM

5. General Service Medal - GSM

6. National Service Meda l - NSM

Foreign Honours:

1. Grand Commander - Republic of Togo

2. Order of the Two Niles - 1st Class Sudan

3. Grand Officer (O.N.) - Du Lion Senegal

4. Kt. Order of the Crown - Belgium-OOC (SIR)

True, a man honoured abroad can sometimes be made to seem common in his own home. We tried to see that the Army Barracks in Effurun was re-named after him during his life time, so that we can change this negative mentality of only honouring people after their death. But sadly, that is what it has come to at the moment. In any case, the initial naming of the barracks after him was a fitting honour, and we cannot but champion the crusade for the renaming of the Army Barracks Effurun to the David Akpode Ejoor Barracks, especially now that he is no more.

Zik Gbemre. 

May 1, 2019