By Austin Ogwuda
THE immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), retired General Lucky Irabor has vowed to commit the rest of his life in serving the country, Nigeria, irrespective of the fact that he had already sacrificed 40 years in serving his fatherland.
He promised to render positive contributions in whatever capacity towards the advancement of the nation in general as well as Delta State, his home State and the Ika nation where he hails from.
General Irabor who stated this while speaking at a civic reception organized in his honour at Agbor, Delta State yesterday, also said he was committed at ensuring that no youth of Ika land is found engaging in fraudulent activities like advance fee fraud popularly known as “419” or any form of criminality.
His words: “As I take a deserved rest, why is it a deserved rest because is described as such my life after service.
“I want to make a commitment to the Ika nation I will do everything possible to ensure that Ika is a better and prosperous place.
“I also make a commitment that Delta State remains a foremost State, a State that will be the cynosure of all eyes in Nigeria.
This is my commitment; whatever contributions that I would make that is required of me please be assured of that commitment.
“And of course for our nation there is no better nation than Nigeria. There is no nation that is better than Nigeria, East or West, home is the best.
“Nigeria remains a country that is rich enough its human capital is like no other across the globe.
“I believe that the government of the day is taking us to the eldorado that we will so cherish and I know that all Nigerians will join hands with him (President Bola Tinubu) to ensure that not only do we have Nigeria of our dreams that everyone will be proud of as Nigerian.
“As for me, I remain indeed committed having served the country for close to 40 years, four decades, what is left?
“So the rest of my life is left to serving Nigeria. Is a commitment that I am making.
After consultation with my wife, whatever it takes for us to give a beautiful country, whatever contribution that is required of me that I will make.
“And to the Ika nation”, he went on, “know that we (Irabor and spouse) remain your vanguard. We will protect you, we will ensure that our youths should no longer be interested in cultism.
“They will no longer be involved in any form of fraud, having to be involved in anything that has to do with 419. No!
There has to be a rethink and there will be renaissance such that Ika that made me and many of my ilks, indeed of course our forebears, Chief Jim Ovia, Nduka Obaghiagbon that is here, the immediate past governor (Okowa) and so many more Ika sons and daughters who are doing well across the globe started right from Ika land”.
Continuing, the former Chief of Defence Staff said “therefore there is no reason why any Ika indigene, any Ika youth should be involved in criminality.
“This we will work together to ensure that we change the narrative. Ika nation is made of good men and women.
“This is a commitment I am making to you and I know as I work with the State government and the government of Nigeria, there will be a significant transformation”, he added.
