Major General Kelvin Aligbe, Commander of the Training and Doctrine Command, has hailed the late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, as an “extraordinary military leader” during a Songs of Service ceremony held in Abuja on Thursday.
Speaking on behalf of the 39 Regular Course, Aligbe reflected on Lagbaja’s distinguished military career and his unique achievement of being the only officer to command a battalion of the Nigerian Army twice.
He noted that Lagbaja’s leadership qualities were evident from their early days, as the two officers were part of the 39 Regular Course, which commissioned 199 cadets into the armed forces on September 12, 1987.
The ceremony, attended by top military officials, family, and friends, was a tribute to Lagbaja’s contributions to the armed forces. His legacy as an exemplary leader has left an indelible mark on his colleagues and the military community.
He said, “On the 12th of September, 1987, I, then officer cadet, Taoreed Lagbaja, and 199 of us assembled for training as members of the 39 regular corps. We trained and were commissioned together into the armed forces. Right from time, he led with no doubt. He was, first and foremost, an operational commander.
“Little wonder that while commands in the services are sometimes difficult to come by, he had the privilege of being the only person, if my memory serves me right, to have commanded a battalion at two different times. He commanded brigades at two different times. He was a general commanding at two different times.”
He urged the military community to embody the values of service and dedication that Lagbaja held dear.
Gen. Aligbe said, “He was primed for the operation that he led, through which, even though they say soldiers don’t die, his memories fade away. The only way I and my course mates and the other members of the armed forces, officers and soldiers that he left behind can honour his memory truly, is to continue what he believed in. He believed in the indivisibility of Nigeria.
“He believed in service. He gave everything at the risk of sounding immodest. I don’t know if we gave him enough.”
Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association, Bilikisu Ibrahim described Lagabaja as a “man of faith whose spirit was rooted in devotion and conviction.”
She said, “To those he served, he was a pillar of protection, an unwavering beacon amidst storms of insanity and threats.
“But beyond our soldiers was a man of faith, a spirit rooted in devotion and conviction. In the trials of duty, he held fast to his spirituality, finding in prayers the fortitude that guided him through the darkest battles. His beliefs were his anchor, a quiet force that strengthened him as he led a sacrifice for the nation he loved.
“His life was not only a mission of arms but of the heart. A journey where faith met duty and courage met compassion. As we gather hands held in solace and grief, we recall the gentleness in his smile, the depth of his wisdom, the vision that he led armies and inspired peace.”
The Global President of St Charles Old Boys Association, Tade Adekunle, who read a poem written by a Senior Secondary school student of the school, described Lagabaja as an “immortal hero.”
He said: “The immortal hero, a militant heart, now still and cold. The nation mourns, both young and old. A warrior’s soul, a poet’s might. On the field of faith, you shone so bright.
“With every piece of bread, you shield our motherland. Leading brave men with a steadfast hand, both now empty. Blade of honour now laid down.
“Its cannon’s cry extinguished, yet legend remains. A warrior’s pulse now stilled in time. On the altar of freedom, you laid your life, your sacrifice, our beacon of hope.”
