The unforgettable hero, Domkat Bali

In 2020, precisely on December 4th, Nigeria lost this military genius due to the cold hands of death. He was, among the army officers, an officer of principle and dedicated that also served under his young people. Sunny Idachaba remembers the moments, the reflections of this man both at the service of his country and on earth.

The deceased general Domkat Bali was a name that evoked the authority within the military clubs, especially during the regimes of the late Muhammad Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida between the late 1980s and the beginning of the 90s.

In addition to commanding various military formations in the past, at a certain point in his career, he was defense minister and subsequently as head of defense from 1984 to 1990 under the generals Muhamadu Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida, respectively. He was also a member of the Supreme Military Council in the Administration of Buhari from 1984 to 1985 and as a member of the dominant council of the Armed Forces of General Babangida from 1985 to 1990.

According to the former head of Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Bali played a crucial role in the Nigerian civil war and was decisive to avoid potential genocide during the final stages of the war.

Following what (Bali) considered as a demotion, this general resigned from the army in January 1990 after being moved from the position of the Minister of Defense to the Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs by Gen. Babangida, a development that disturbed himself on his position on Mamman Vatsa the execution of Mamman Vatsa while he was accused of having expressed the regrets for the execution, stating that the evidence against him were weak.

In an interview, he said: “My problem was that as a military officer, I was elderly both for Babangida and Buhari, but I served both as a defense minister and as president, leaders of a joint staff. I could accept that they were heads of state. You cannot remove the fact that I was senior for both. And when it came, he said, ‘ok, you are no longer head of the defense. If I am not, then I am also junior for all other military people. of state, which I would not accept. “

His resignation from the Nigerian army to protest against what he considered a sort of demotion spoke of volumes on how he attributed great importance to the hierarchy and also reflected his military mentality and the sense of professionalism. His position of principle has completed his 29 -year -old military career in 1990 against the age of compulsory pension.

In reaction to it, he said: “Maybe I resigned because I felt I had overcome my welcome. Since my young people left and left, why should I tag?”

He joined the army in 1961, entered the rank of general while at the time he left the army. He was part of the 1983 coup of state coup that overturned the former president Shehu Shagari, who brought General Buhari to power and the 1985 coup against Buhari who brought General Babangida to power.

You can have an average that its involvement in the state of state has suggested that it worried so much of good government even if the military raid in politics is an aberration.

As head of the defense staff, it was what announced the execution of some officers deemed guilty of planning a coup d’état against the Babangida regime in the mid -1980s. Among them, among them, was Vatsa.

“My regret is that until now, I’m not sure that Vatsa should have been killed because whatever test have accumulated against him was weak. My only regret is that I cannot say:” Don’t do it. “I am not so sure if we had reason to have killed him”, was mentioned for having said in 2006, 20 years after Vatsa’s execution.

Reflecting on his last moments of service, the NationThe editorial observed that “its survival in an atmosphere so poisoned by a ruthless rivalry and a folded power game has shown the respect she enjoyed in the army”.

As he talked about how he had entered the army, Bali said: “I had no intention of being a soldier from the word. I never wanted the army as a career. He was ahmadu beautiful who ensured that he had entered the army. I tell people that the North had died with Ahmadu beautiful and I mean every word. 1958. I was then in module five.

“He went around the North, preaching to us to unite the military. He felt that there were no northern sufficient in the army. He did not look for Fulani men to be enhanced; he was sincerely interested in seeing that the North was not at the disadvantage among the other regions of the country. When he finished talking to us, he brought our names to Kaduna to sit for the exam.”

After the protest that concluded his military career, Bali had another reason to protest when the administration of the former president Goodluck Jonathan listed him for a national honor in 2011.

“It does not make sense for me. I saw the recent National Merit award that was awarded to me as an insult to my personality. They told me that the honor of 2011 has assigned me is commander of the Federal Republic (cf.), but the federal government of Nigeria had given a greater national honor as a great commander of the Niger order (Gcon) who is the highest second national honor in Nigeria.

“So, what this current government offers me in the 2011 National Merit Award is less than what I have before,” he said for the principle and not pride.

According to the editorial mentioned above, “although it has maintained a low profile, there is no doubt that it has carried out significant roles in the political history of the country”.

Twenty years after retiring from the army, Bali became Ponzhi Tarok, the fundamental sovereign of the people of Tarok of the state of the plateau, from where it came from. His selection for the traditional office in 2010 was an opportunity for him to offer leadership at The Grassroots. It was selected by the Tarok Kingmakers led by Madakin Langgang, Hrh Daniel Lamda Bongur to happen to Edward Cirdap Zhattau.

According to Bayo Onanuga, “Bali as a soldier was taciturn; although not thick as many soldiers. Like Muhammadu Buhari, he was an official ring, but what he missed in the physical frame, compensated in his heart Leo and in his incredible courage”.

In December 1989 he said, then head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida, removed his cabinet and removed Bali as a defense minister and head of the defense staff, two positions he had combined since 1984. Bali was on vacation in Jos, when the announcement had been done.

“He felt that his new position was a decoration and decided to stop, rather than enduring indignation, remaining in office. He did what many officers did not dare to do in those days. He wrote a letter of resignation and cooked him in Babangida in Babos in Bali.

“The practice at the time was that you have to wait to be hunted. Bali gave up and nothing happened to him, the skies did not fall and military lords did not persecute him.”

Knowing his death, the former president Bhari (now late) sentenced with the people and government of the state of the plateau in what he called “an illustrious son and a highly decorated retired military officer”, Gen Domkat Bali.

President Buhari also spoke with the deceased’s wife and also commensurate with other family members, friends and professional collaborators of the former member of the Supreme Military Council and of the domain council of the Armed Forces who have climbed levels, reaching the peak as head of the defense staff.

He said that the registers of General Bali’s courage and patriotism, Ponzhi Tarok, would have continued to inspire young military officers, while the foundations he laid in all the commands he has directed would always be remembered.

He followed him by constituting a delegation led by Magg. Gen. Bashir Magashi (Retd.) As a defense minister to visit the family and condemn with the government and the people of the State for the loss.

Having paid the price of the construction of the nation, especially in military circles, General Domkat Bali really remains an unforgettable hero in Nigeria.