By Nkechi Eze
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has reaffirmed that Nigeria’s diversity remains a priceless gift and a collective trust that must be safeguarded by all citizens. He stated this while delivering the keynote address at the public presentation of Buni Boy, a book written by the late legal luminary Niyi Ayoola-Daniels, in Abuja on Saturday, 29 November 2025.
According to a statement by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Marwa said the occasion held deep meaning for him, not just because of the book, but because of the author’s life and what it represents for Nigeria’s unity.
Marwa noted that the story captured in the book echoes an era in Nigerian history defined by trust, simplicity, and genuine human kindness, values that once guided everyday interactions. “The story stirs my memories and reminds me of a time when life was plain in its blessings and people showed more kindness in their daily dealings. This evening, I am not here to retell the story, for it stands strong on its own. Instead, I will reflect on its core theme, to remind Nigerians of this era that our diversity is not a burden but a gift and a trust we must safeguard.”
He explained that his upbringing and military career exposed him to the beauty of Nigeria’s multicultural identity. From attending primary schools in Zaria, Enugu, Abeokuta and Lagos, owing to his father’s service as a soldier to schooling at the Nigeria Military School (NMS), Zaria, where pupils came from every ethnic background, Marwa said he learned early that Nigeria’s diversity strengthens rather than divides.
“It was never a school for northern boys alone… Whether you speak Hausa, Yoruba or Igbo, we regarded ourselves as kin,” he recalled. He described how teachers and commandants at NMS also reflected the country’s ethnic breadth, citing the leadership of the late Colonel T. B. Ogundeko, whom students saw not as a Yoruba man, but simply as a Nigerian.
Marwa added that his over three decades in the Nigerian Army further reinforced his conviction in unity, with inter-ethnic cooperation, friendships and even intermarriages bridging artificial boundaries. “On a personal note, my life has taught me that the diversity of this country enriches us… Wherever I stand in this country, whether among the Ogoni, or Bachama, among Igbo or Idoma, anywhere at all, I am at home,” he said.
He also shared a significant moment from his years as Military Administrator of Lagos State, where he said the Yoruba people showed him overwhelming support despite their political grievances with the federal government at the time. He revealed for the first time that he faced pressure from the military hierarchy to manipulate the governorship election against the then opposition figure, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, because of Tinubu’s pro-democracy activism through NADECO.
“Even though the Head of State then, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, did not interfere in my conduct of the governorship election, the military hierarchy did. After seeing Senator Bola Tinubu’s strong campaign and popularity, they instructed me to prevent him from emerging governor,” Marwa said. “But I chose to conduct a free and fair election that produced the most popular candidate. The rest today is history.”
He stated that while Nigeria faces significant challenges arising largely from years of poorly managed diversity, those issues should inspire renewed commitment to unity and inclusion, not calls for division. “Our challenges should instead push us to repair the fault lines and pursue greater inclusion,” he stressed.
Turning to the book, Marwa praised the widow of the author, Mrs. Leticia Ayoola-Daniels, for preserving her late husband’s legacy. He said Buni Boy resonated deeply with him not only because he once served as military governor of the old Borno State, where Buni Yadi was located, but also because he personally met the family of the noble judge whose integrity shaped the life of the author.
“The transformation of an eighteen-year-old boy in the 1960s, and the wisdom of a judge who held firmly to justice, reflect the very heart of the Nigerian spirit,” he added.
