The Nigerian Army has warned its personnel to adhere strictly to the correct form of paying military compliments.
The Chief of Army staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, gave the directive in an internal memo obtained by SaharaReporters.
In the memo signed on behalf of Oluyede by Major General E.E. Bassey, officers and soldiers caught involving in any alien form of paying compliments will be punished appropriately.
It read, “The NA and indeed, all armies of the world are known and judged by their professional standards. Any army that does not possess professional attributes such as discipline, loyalty, expertise, morale, etc., cannot be regarded as a professional army in the comity of world armies.
“One of the many ways of attaining professionalism is the observance of core ethical values and tenets. The peculiar nature of the military profession therefore makes it imperative that certain ethical conducts are adhered to strictly as a matter of course and duty.
“The essence is to ensure that no one is left in doubt as to how to conduct himself at any point in time so as to achieve uniform conduct by all.
“Paying of compliments is perhaps the oldest and most recognized attribute and core value of any professional army, including the NA. It is an expression of reciprocal loyalty between a superior and subordinate.
“It is normally initiated by the subordinate and demands an immediate response from the superior. All officers and soldiers are required to pay the normal military compliments to their superiors in rank who are authorized to receive such compliments, whether riding on horseback or cycle, in a private or official vehicle or making a phone call. It is the officer’s duty to smartly return a salute with the correct hand and without a cigarette or pipe in the mouth.
“This Headquarters however observes with dismay the bastardisation of this core value by both officers and soldiers of the NA. What is more prevalent now is that officers and soldiers have imbibed the culture of saying “Morning Sir’ even when it is noon or night, ‘Morning Daddy’, ‘Godfather’. ‘Rankadade’, ‘Igwe’ or ‘Kabiyesi”, standing at attention with open hands at the sides, etc.
“These practices are not only alien but tend to portray the NA as an organization without professional or ethical standards.
“Superiors are not traditional rulers and should not be so addressed. This unwholesome and alien form of paying compliment has not gone unnoticed even by officers of other national contingents in Peace Support Operations Foreign officers have even accosted NA senior officers to confirm if the time of the day does not matter when own personnel pay compliments
“Henceforth, all officers and soldiers are to adhere strictly to the correct form of paying compliments in the NA. Any contrary or alien form of paying such compliments must not be tolerated and should be sanctioned appropriately.”
“Commanders at all levels are therefore reminded of their command responsibilities of ensuring that these ethics and practices are strictly adhered to. Please disseminate to all personnel under command,” it added.
