It is not every day that a country is blessed with great men and women, people whose public persona as well as private lives are driven by a combination of the force of personal example with the courage of conviction.
In a world fast losing its real people to the gale of inauthenticity blowing everywhere, General T. Y Danjuma has simply refused to be lost to the world, and especially to the extreme inconsistency that defines life in a world moving too fast for its own good.
I first met the Taraba-state born colossus when my great friend, the late General Domkat Bali, introduced me to him in the early 2000s. A model and modern military officer, I was immediately struck by his humility in choosing to personally serve me on the few occasions I visited his house.
In this wise, he was simply complementing his wife, Daisy, an excellent manager of men and matters, a woman of the highest standards.
Upon making his acquaintance in those days, I was also blown away by General Danjuma’s ability to combine a strict business-like approach with patient listening. A patient but proactive man, he would sit through conversations no matter how brief with patience and punctuality even as he refused to suffer those who would waste his time.
My brush with him when he was minister of defense under former President Olusegun Obasanjo showed his distaste for the ugly side of bureaucracy. He wanted speed but also accuracy and was a huge fan of keeping things moving.
A man of deep personal faith, his commitment to his Christian faith, especially the Anglican faith is well-known. He has also been known to support religious causes outside his denomination and religion.
General Danjuma divides opinion for his role in precipitating the Nigeria Civil war as one who was deeply entrenched in the conflict on the side of Nigeria. But war hardly leaves anyone unblemished and his unflinching commitment to the cause of country even in those dark days portray him as a man of consistency which is a rare feat in a country of turncoats.
He has retired from the military as well as left public service decades ago, yet, he has selflessly continued to serve Nigerians through the T. Y Danjuma Foundation which he created in 2008. The foundation has remained a force for public good, embarking on countless projects that have changed many lives.
A detribalized Nigerian, General Danjuma has transcended Taraba State where he hails from to make friends across the country touching countless lives in the process.
In a country sorely lacking genuine heroes, General Danjuma is a national treasure who has shown unflinching commitment to national unity, cutting across diversity, over many decades.
Many people who have come in contact with him have been singularly touched by his courage of conviction, strength of character and limitless compassion.
It is no surprise that God in his benevolence has granted eighty-seven years of life to a man who must stay around for much longer because Nigerians and Nigeria need him.
His Midas touch in the military, public service, business, and philanthropy is testament to God’s grace upon his life. On the occasion of his 87th birthday, it is clear that General Danjuma who belongs to a very rare breed of human beings deserves to be celebrated.
He is a cause for celebration. May the occasion of his 87th birthday bring more milestones the way of the people’s general.
Ike Willie-Nwobu,
