Marwa Urges Nigerians to Build Character Beyond Weapons at NMS ’82 Reunion
Retired Brigadier-General Buba Marwa, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has urged Nigerians to embrace discipline, resilience, and civic responsibility, stressing that the country’s strength depends more on citizens of character than on soldiers with arms.
Marwa gave the charge on Saturday evening at the 38th anniversary reunion of the Nigerian Military School (NMS) Class of 1982, held in Abuja. Reflecting on his formative years in Zaria, he recalled that the school instilled values that transcended background or belief.
“At NMS, nobody cared about your father’s name, your language, or your faith. What mattered was brotherhood and a shared destiny as Nigerians,” he said.
Celebrating the accomplishments of the Class of ’82, Marwa noted that it produced two of the country’s current Service Chiefs — Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff, and Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff. He reminded his audience that Nigeria’s future would not be secured by weapons alone.
“Our nation today needs citizens of character — men and women armed with courage, loyalty, discipline, and resilience,” he added.
Leadership consultant Fela Durotoye, who also spoke at the event, drew inspiration from Africa’s liberation history. He recounted how, in 1945, seventy-nine young Africans gathered in Manchester armed only with conviction and succeeded in dismantling colonialism.
“History calls them the Great Generation,” he said, urging the Class of ’82 to focus on creating enduring value and passing on principles to the next generation.
For Retired Lieutenant-Commander Jim Bent, President of the NMS ’82 Alumni Association, the reunion was both a celebration of lasting friendship and a call to continued service.
“NMS is not just a school; it is a crucible where values are etched into our bones. Brotherhood for life is what has carried us to this day,” he declared.
Bent recalled the discipline, rivalry, and camaraderie that shaped their youth, stressing that alumni must rise to today’s challenges.
“The nation needs us. We are those men in the arena. From boys to men, from cadets to leaders — we have dared greatly, and we continue to do so,” he said.
The reunion, which drew participants from across Nigeria and the diaspora, including the UK, Canada, and South Africa, ended with the adoption of ten pledges centred on integrity, excellence, respect, and legacy.
Marwa closed with a reminder that national security extends beyond military might.
“We may have armies and weapons,” he cautioned, “but without character, discipline, and a sense of duty among our citizens, our nation will remain vulnerable.”
