Irabor Urges Nigerians To Tell Their Own Stories, Says Truth Must Be Documented
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
A retired Nigerian military chief has made a compelling case for writers to take ownership of the nation’s narrative, warning that untold stories risk being distorted or erased by others.
Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor (Rtd), has stressed the importance of documenting Nigeria’s experiences and realities, warning that if citizens fail to tell their own stories, others will tell them from a different perspective.
Speaking at the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Abuja Chapter’s May Reading and Writers’ Dialogue in Abuja, Irabor recounted how Nigerian troops who played a leading role in securing Freetown during the Sierra Leone conflict received little global recognition, while others claimed the spotlight through strategic media coverage.
According to him, the experience reinforced the need for truthful storytelling and documentation, noting that “an unrecorded truth is a truth that can be denied.”
The retired military officer, who recently authored SCARS: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, said the book was written to encourage national reflection on the root causes of insecurity, including poverty, poor governance, educational deficits and the erosion of societal values.
Irabor argued that writing and soldiering share a common obligation-honesty.
He maintained that while the military uniform imposes order, the pen has the power to inspire change and shape national conversations.
Highlighting Nigeria’s trust deficit and growing insecurity challenges, he called on writers to help correct incomplete narratives and amplify the voices of ordinary citizens affected by conflict and social injustice.
“I began my career with a weapon. I am navigating this new chapter of it with a book. And I have come to believe that the book is the more durable instrument because a weapon ends a conversation, while a book begins one,” he said.
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