Immortalise Late General Philip Effiong – House of Representatives Member Tells Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Army has been called upon to immortalize one of its early veterans, late General Phillip Effiong. Its current Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, was charged to make it his legacy by enrusing that it happened during his time in office.

The lawmaker representing Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Ime Okon made the call on Wednesday, August 28, 2024 at the ongoing Chief of Army Staff 2nd and 3rd Quarters’ Conference in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Capital.

General Philip Efiong, who was born on Wednesday, November 18, 1925 and died Thursday, November 6, 2003, was a Nigerian military officer who was the first Vice President and the second and last President of the Republic of Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War from 1967 to 1970.

Effiong, who hails from Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area in present day Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, joined the Nigerian Armed Forces on Saturday, July 28, 1945.

The United Kingdom later commissioned him for duty in the Rhine, West Germany, from where he was then transferred to the Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps; and then to England for further training after a peace-keeping stint in the Republic of Congo in 1961. He was Nigeria’s first Director of Ordnance.

To this end, the legislator suggested that the 2 Brigade Cantonment at Mbiokporo in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area be named after General Effiong who was the second indigene of what is now Akwa Ibom State to be commissioned into the Nigerian Army after late Brigadier Wellington Umo Bassey who was the first in the whole country.

Okon said it had become necessary to immortalise the late General, considering the decisive role he played in leading the Biafrian Army to surrender, a development he noted led to the end of the Civil War in 1970.

Pointing out that Bassey and other Army veterans had been immortalised with military barracks and bases named after them, Okon appealed for a similar gesture to be extended to Effiong who hailed from Ikot Akpan Obong in Ibiono Ibom LGA and held the traditional title of “Akangkang Ibiono” until his death in 2003.

Okon also recalled that Effiong and late Chief Tony Anenih worked to find a political solution to the offshore/onshore oil dichotomy issue after they were mandated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The House of Representatives member stressed that that solution led to the payment of proper derivation to Akwa Ibom and other states affected by the obnoxious dichotomy.

He however commended the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, for working hard to ensure peace and security in the state, a feat he said had attracted applauses from far and near.

Okon also supported Governor Umo Eno’s call on the Chief of Army Staff to establish an Army Battalion in Oron Federal Constituency to checkmate the activities of pirates, militants and kidnappers.

He lauded the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Lagbaja for bringing the ongoing Chief of Army Staff second and third quarters’ Conference to Akwa Ibom and urged him to continue to collaborate with the Akwa Ibom State Governor to sustain the prevailing peace and security in the State.