“Change is Inevitable” - Chairman, SURE-P, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai.

The former chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Christopher Kolade, resigned after a short while. There had been rumours that he was not pleased about happenings around the fund but he said nothing until several months after his resignation when he said publicly that Nigeria used to be better, and criticised the current leadership. Kolade was replaced as SURE-P chairman by the former Chief of Army Staff, retired Gen. Martin Luther Agwai.

Yesterday, Agwai was in Abeokuta to deliver a speech during the 78th birthday event of former president Obasanjo. In a lecture titled, “Imperatives of a National Security framework for the development and progress of Nigeria,” Gen Agwai said that change in leadership is inevitable. He also advised that the military stays off partisanship.

“In life, you find out that everything needs change, if that is what the community wants, what the people want, you must give it to them and as such, it becomes inevitable,” he said.

He added: “You can have everything nice, but, if you don’t have the right leadership to propel it, it cannot go anywhere.

“Integrity matters, doing what is good for the larger society, and not just what you want to do for a narrow society to please yourself.”

He said the involvement of the military in politics would retard the growth and development of the country.

Agwai described Gen Obasanjo as an inspiration to a generation of military officers in the country, adding that they should always be appreciative of his contributions to their lives.

The chairman of SURE-P said the former President has been a source of inspiration for him and others, particularly from the minority ethnic group.

“I for one, from somewhere (small) ethnic group in Nigeria; from a small village to have become Chief of Staff. I will always remain appreciative of this,” Agwai said.