Dr Nana Chidi-Emmanuel, daughter of retired Gen. Domkat Bali who died last week, has said that her father’s last wish was for Nigeria to remain united and peaceful.
Bali died on Friday, Dec. 4, after a protracted illness.
“My father always wanted to see a peaceful and united Nigeria. As a soldier, he was loyal to the country and defended it to the best of his ability,” Nanna told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview on Monday.
“He wanted to see Nigeria, which he spent his life defending, remain one and indivisible nation where all are treated fairly and everyone had an equal chance.
“My father was very honest and had integrity. He stood for the truth always and never compromised that for anything.
“These are the values young Nigerians should emulate so that they can excel. We should all imbibe the values of justice and avoid being self-centered, ” she said.
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Nana, a medical doctor, said that the family was planning a befitting burial for the late sage and would announce the arrangements at the appropriate time.
Retired Gen. John Temlong, a close associate of Bali, corroborated Nana’s claims on the late army general’s love for his fatherland.
“The death of Bali is a great loss to Nigeria. He was a remarkable and outstanding patriot. He served the nation as a galant soldier and would have done everything to keep Nigeria as one.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bali, a former Minister of Defence, was a member of the Supreme Military Council from 1984 to 1985 when President Muhammadu Buhari was Nigeria’s military head of state.
Bali also served as member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council from 1985 to 1990 during the reign of Buhari’s successor, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. (NAN)