With the death of Gen Domkat Bali, the Nigerian army has lost a general, the nation has lost a statesman.
I had met Gen. Bali several times in the course of my duty as a young officer.
But two occasions remain indelible in my mind. Once as a combatant commissioned officer from NDA posted to the Corps of Artillery then located in Makurdi as a temporary civil war headquarters.
My other colleagues posted were Gen. Ahmed Daku, Colonel Felix Egiebor and Capt. Victor O’dwyer, all retired today.
We still remain as comrades, occasionally keeping the artillery spirit long imbued in us till today.
Gen. Bali was then a Captain and our Inspector of Artillery, a British Army artillery title and tradition which I still want to believe is operating.
Because of the ongoing Nigerian Civil War in Jan. 1968, we received our regimental postings to the war fronts. I was posted to 2 Field Battery.
The most important point to make out of this narrative is that Gen. Domkat Bali was naturally a calm, humble, firm detribalised personality.
As we were going to the battlefields, he instilled in us a sense of duty, patriotic honour and selfless camaraderie.
The second time I came across Gen. Bali was when I served under him in Bonny Camp on return from the UK after the civil war.
He gave me a lot of work to do and I enjoyed doing my job very well as a young staff officer.
To my great surprise, he called me to his office one day and said briskly; “I have a vacancy for an advanced artillery course in the US in March, are you interested?” Of course, I was interested.
He gave me a good send-off, which he personally attended.
There were many other times I had crossed his path but each time the same amiable, calm senior military officer would ask; “ Ola, how are you today?” I’m fine sir,” was my usual response.
When I got to the top of my career as the Corps Commander, like him, in Jan. 1991, many years after him, I then realised the goodness of the artillery tradition, which I had to put into practice.
Like Gen. Domkat Bali, you will find inspirational leaders who show good examples to follow in the artillery tradition and training.
From Gen. Bali, late Col. Wya, late UA Mohammed, late Col. Isa Mohammed, Gen. Nasko, Gen. Mamman, Brig Olajide and Brig. Sedenu. They led us as good leaders and showed a duty of care.
Looking back, Gen. Bali’s demise is a personal loss. The Corps of Artillery has lost a senior Commander.
He was a patriot and the traditional ruler of the great Langtang people. This much defines the great General.
He was a soldier and a gentleman. He was a patriot and a devoted warrior sworn to defend the honour of his nation.
He was indifferent to the tribal origin or your faith. He was only interested in merit, duty, service, honour and country.
May his memory be a blessing to his immediate family, to his comrades in arms and this great nation.
General Tajudeen Olanrewaju rtd
