The President of the Birch Freeman Old Boys Association, Anthony Onibasa, a retired Brigadier-General in the Nigerian Army, has urged the Federal Government to increase the recruitment of security personnel, stressing that citizens should not be armed for self-defence.
Onibasa made this appeal on Saturday during the association’s homecoming event, tagged ‘The Reunion,’ held in Surulere, Lagos State.
In a conversation with The PUNCH, Onibasa highlighted the need for a stronger, better-equipped armed forces, warning against a situation where individuals feel compelled to arm themselves.
According to him, allowing citizens to bear arms would depict Nigeria as a failed state where “anyone could bring out a gun.”
He said, “We have local militia groups. There must not be a plethora of non-state actors to protect its citizenry.
“The security agencies are overstretched; this is because we have a very small army compared to our challenges, the size of this nation, and our population.”
“It is also unfortunate that the service personnel are not appreciated enough, and that speaks to how much support they can get. It is not child’s play to run a military campaign.”
Turning to the purpose of the event, Onibasa explained that the homecoming aimed to reunite old students, following years of division among them.
He stated, “We want to bring everyone together, and the Ministry of Education is involved. They want to help us midwife a unified body. The Old Boys Association has been giving back to the school effectively under my leadership. We are transforming the school. We have several sets contributing their quota.”
Similarly, the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Johnson Agholor, noted the efforts made to maintain support for the school even amid the internal disagreements.
He said, “When the issues were on, we tried to bring people together, and people were still doing what they were doing for the school.”
The association’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Francis Van-Lare, also lauded the renewed spirit of unity among members.
He remarked, “I am glad we are here today. Everyone is talking like brothers. We have had factions for the past five years.
“The factions in the association have been dissolved today, and a transition committee is in place. They will midwife us to an election later in the year.”
Also commenting, the Chairman of the 1983 set, Akan Udoh, said the reconciliation achieved during the reunion was long overdue, noting that his set played a crucial role in resolving the disputes.
