- Safiu Kehinde
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said disinformation played a major role in the emergence of the Nigerian Civil War.
Obasanjo made this known during his address at the sixth edition of the annual Nigerian Civil War symposium organised by the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
Speaking on the themr: ‘The Role of Disinformation in the Nigerian Civil War’ the ex-President held that disinformation ignited tension during the war which occured between 1967 to 1970.
He raised concern over the similar employment of the strategy by insurgents in the Northeast and other violent groups in the country.
“Disinformation played a significant role in the Nigerian Civil War, exacerbating tensions and influencing public opinion.
“The same strategy is currently being employed by the insurgents in the Northeast and other violent groups in other parts of Nigeria.
“In line with the theme, the symposium will, therefore, highlight the importance of media and information operations in conflict resolution and nation-building,” he said.
The former President harped on the need for Nigeria to be deliberate and diligent in the study of history, particularly military history, to bring out and apply valuable lessons from it.
Obasanjo maintained that understanding the past will help to better navigate the present and build a more equitable future for all Nigerians as he cited a popular quote that “a child that does not learn history will be told history”.
He however lauded the AWCN for including the study of the Nigerian Civil War in its curriculum to enhance the capacities of operational-level leaders to effectively apply the lessons from past campaigns in operational planning.
On his part, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, who was represented by Maj.-Gen. P. E. Eromosele, described the symposium as a vital platform for nurturing intellectual capacity within the military.
Oluyede lauded the theme’s relevance to current operations.
He reiterated the army’s commitment to building a combat-ready force guided by sound leadership and informed strategy.