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Open Criticism Demoralising Military, Emboldening Terrorists – Group Warns

Published

5 years ago

December 3, 2020

A coalition of various civil society groups has condemned the open criticism of the Nigeria military in their quest to stamp out the activities of terrorists and all forms of banditry in our society, identifying the fact that it portends a dangerous implication of demoralizing the gallantry of our military officers at the front line of the battle and emboldening the terrorist. This was revealed by the groups at a recent press briefing in Abuja.

In a statement issued at the briefing and signed by Comrade Joseph Onu, United Nigeria Forum, Comrade Wale Adegoke, Progressive Action for Justice, Unity and Development and Musa Abdullahi, Transparency Center Network, the group condemned the dangerous trend which is becoming prominent among public affairs analysts, social influencers, etc,

The statement read in part ” For more than ten years now, our dear country Nigeria and more specifically the Nigerian military, has been an extraordinary battle against the siege of a rabid, ravaging and resurging form of terrorism notoriously known as Boko Haram.

The destructive activities of Boko Haram must be condemned by all well-meaning citizens.

We have seen them alongside their Islamic State of West Africa affiliate (ISWAP)gleefully slaughter men, women, children, and our gallant men of the armed forces; in raids of unsuspecting communities in the rural and urban areas; in their bloodthirsty bombings of places of worship, the ambush of wayfarers and other forms of gruesome killings. We must collectively confront their dastardly acts on a scale larger than the world has ever witnessed in wars of continental dimension”.

In economic terms, the reign of terror has brought part of our country to a state of comatose, the economic activities of particularly North East, North West and commercial engagement with other neighboring countries have been badly affected.

Recently, there are series of open criticism by a section of the society as to the capacity of the Nigerian military to decimate the Boko Haram and arms bandits terrorizing most parts of the country. We view the criticism as not necessarily relate to the ability, capacity, and preparedness of the Nigerian military to perform the mandate of restoring normalcy to the affected areas but a sinister design to demoralize the Nigerian security agencies. Criticism of this nature is capable of giving the insurgents the lifeline of support they desperately need to stage more daring attacks.

It is important for us at this juncture to appeal that such criticism is moderated in order to encourage our armed forces to advance towards the line of defense of the enemy. Undiluted commentaries being witnessed are encouraging the terrorists to stage further daring attacks. Boko Haram and other purveyors of anarchy thrive on propaganda and maximum publicity.

Also, our major concern revolves around the fact we should as a people not forget the sacrifices made by the gallant military men including those that paid the supreme price in the execution of the difficult mission against Boko Haram now largely confined to parts of Borno and isolated in Yobe state.

We must as patriotic citizens exercise greater restrain even while making positive criticism against the conduct of the counter-insurgency operations by the Nigerian military. We must eschew spreading bitterness, falsehood, and misleading posture capable of distracting and demoralizing our Armed Forces. We must encourage those that lost loved ones, widows, and children left behind to continue to cheer our forces in the front lines so that the sacrifices of our heroes past shall never be in vain. We suppose them to defeat our bigger enemy.

We posit that instead of demoralizing the patriotic men and women still fighting in the front lines, we should encourage them to continue making enormous sacrifices to the best of their ability to our father.

To the critics of our military abroad making a misplaced and misleading statement, they should place their criticism where it rightly belongs, the doorstep of Boko Haram that has added the blood cuddling, insane and unimaginable macabre practice of slaughtering innocent harvesting crops in their farms as witnessed few days in Zabarmari, Borno State. They should clamor for an international action aimed towards speedy prosecution of Boko Haram murderers anywhere they are hiding in and outside Nigeria.

It is to the credit of the Nigerian military that they have succeeded in blocking the lines of supplies of food, medicine, and other essential commodities to the terrorists thereby suffocating them in insatiable hunger and desperation to have access to food and other necessities”.

The concluded by advocating that It will advance the course of our democracy and security in Nigeria for the International powers to support us properly, equip our armed forces with the needed instrument to timely anticipate attacks such as the type witnessed against the Borno farmers a few days ago and nip them in the bud as preemptive strike tactics against the satanic, godless and bloodthirsty Boko Haram/ISWAP and other terrorist groups in our dear country.

The material and Intelligence support should not be seen as discretionary charity. It is a charity earned as the discharge of duty and ingredient precedent to security, peace, and development consolidation in Nigeria and the sub-region.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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