By Katdapba Y. Gobum
If you have met Air-Vice Marshal Bala Golgak Danbaba, you will certainly come out with this opinion about him: Here is one of Nigeria’s thorough bred military professionals. Only those who have not encountered him will be wondering who he is.
Being the professional that he is, some people would want to know what contributions he has made to the development of his fatherland.
This may sum up the usual interrogations people make of certain individuals, who have been away from home on national assignments; but however have made meaningful contributions to the commonwealth through their professional callings.
AVM Danbaba may be in this league, for hardly were many young people able to pick him out in the crowd a few years ago (having been away for three and a half decades) before his retirement from the Nigerian Air Force on June 15, 2009.
It should be noted that life does not give all of us the opportunity to remain on the local scene; however through fate, some have been catapulted to the national and international scenes playing various roles for human development.
It is in this regard that we can situate what individuals have achieved in the course of their lives to the development of the state and or nation. Indeed, if this is not lost in our estimation of people’s contributions, Danbaba’s is such that he has continued to add value both as a military man; while also using his company, Kugym Global Cargo Aviation Services which, he is its Chairman/Chief Executive Officer to provide jobs for young Nigerians from various walks of life.
For a man whose life has revolved round strict military service and discipline for the most part of his life, I have, like many, attempted to ask: How did he ingratiate himself into civil life after spending 35 years of his productive energy in the military?
Thankfully, on his return home after his tour of duty, he had the comradeship of some of his classmates at Government Secondary School, Kuru, Plateau State, who also had left their states to contribute to nation building in various spheres of human endeavour.
Such classmates and friends included among others, His Royal Majesty, Jacob Gyang Buba, Gbong Gwom Jos, Justice Ibrahim Ndahi Auta, retired Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and President, Kuru Old Students’ Association (KOSA), Nde Emmanuel Manasa, who pioneered the state transport company, Plateau Riders and retired as a director in the federal civil service, Engineer Damang Fwangchi and indeed many others in that regard.
Apart from those he met at Kuru, there were others during his Higher School Certificate days at Gindiri. All of them combined, must have helped him understand and was be able to navigate the terrain back at home; while fitting to make his mark in the development of the state.
How lucky could he have being. They say a dutiful officer can only retire but not tired. After 35 years of meritorious service to his fatherland, many will recall how he was brought in by Governor Jonah David Jang to set up the security outfit code named Operation Rainbow.
He became the chairman of the organization. The security outfit, like Amotekun in the South Western part of the country was an idea whose time was ripe, and had come. No one needs to be reminded that the state has been under severe attack for over two decades.
He was charged with the audacious responsibility of coordination and setting up modalities needed to implement such from 2010 to 2015. The organization went through hell after he stepped down; however, given the work he did earlier, Governor Simon Bako Lalong gave him the responsibility of coordinating IDP Resettlement Committee, Plateau State in 2018.
Basically, the task was to recommend to government where the Internally Displaced Persons were to be resettled. That was a hard task if you must know.
Scattered in various locations, how would he and his team do to return them to normal life through their recommendation? Recall that in most of the communities which were attacked, the invaders had occupied the ancestral lands of the victims, hence making it hard to run rings round the assignment.
For about two decades, most communities in Plateau have come under attack by bandits; killing and maiming men, women and children as well as destroying property, in a bid to take over their ancestral lands.
The idea to have a state security outfit to complement the services offered by the conventional military and police received acceptance as soon as it was mooted; and before long, it became law.
At the time of its establishment, it was wrongly perceived by some people that it was going to be a means to settle scores, but as soon as its operations hit the communities, it was apparent that the idea was meant for good.
Sadly, in the past eight years, it became moribund as it attracted lots of criticisms to the government from citizens; who wondered why it was laying waste while lives were being wasted in the communities their presence was highly needed.
And having settled and worked to establish the presence of its personnel as a portent force in combating violent crisis in Plateau communities using the instrumentality of the Operation Rainbow, he announced, though subtlety his intentions to become the state’s number one citizen in 2014. The modalities that went into the preparations were pronounced and instructive.
The fact that it did not work as was envisaged could not have been as a result of not being found to be qualified. The political calculations then were that the southern zone of the state was slated to produce the governor of the state.
Therefore, no matter how qualified he or any other person from the central zone was, such would be going against the political current and arrangement. He, like many others, beat a retreat to plan for the future.
He was born on June 15, 1953 at Pankshin in Plateau State; and attended the Central Primary School Pankshin before proceeding to Government Science Secondary School, Kuru from 1967 – 1971. He obtained the Higher School Certificate at the Boys Secondary School, Gindiri 1972–1973.
Determined to make a career in the military, he proceeded to the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna as a member of Regular Course 16 on July 3, 1974.
He was commissioned Pilot Officer on January 3, 1977. Since then, he was fortunate to have attended several courses including Ab-inito Pilot Training at 301 Flying Training School, Kaduna; Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT), United States Air Force Laughlin Air force Base (1976 – 1978) on the T-41, T-37 and T-38 aircraft.
He later proceeded for Lead–in–Fighter Training at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico USA in 1979 and MIG-21 conversion course at 303 Flying Training School, Kano and Markurdi 1980; G–222 Conversion in Italy; Falcon-900 Conversion in France.
Other military trainings included Junior Staff Course at Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) Jaji and Senior Staff Course at the Indian Defence Services Staff College at Wellington, India from1990 – 1991; Air War College at the Pakistan Air Force Air War College, Karachi from 2001 – 2002.
He holds two masters degrees in Defence and Strategic Studies (First Class) from Madras University, India and another in Strategic Studies from Karachi University, Pakistan.
Some of the noticeable platforms which his military dexterity found expression was as, Director of Operations, NAF HQ, Air Officer Logistics Command, Lagos, and Chief of Policy and Plans DHQ.
Blessed with the experience of strategies in the field, such was what was needed to enable him impact knowledge in the Command and Staff College and also as the pioneer Staff Officer 1 Coordination at the National War College, Abuja.
Having passed these institutions, destiny once gave him the rare privilege of Commanding the flying Schools in Kaduna and Kano at some point in the course of his tour of duty.
From being a Pilot Officer in 1977 in the military spanning years with regular and steady promotional progression until he was elevated to Air -Vice Marshal in 2005; these appointments and assignments were within the shores of Nigeria and outside.
He is married to Grace, and blessed with three children, Pyemwa, Nenghak and Yilduna, apart from many children of his late friends and relations he had adopted. To occupy his time, he takes interest in reading, golfing and farming. Presently, he is chairman, Board of Trustees Rayfield Golf Club, Jos.
At exactly seventy last Thursday, he knows that the flight has been tough, however, despite the tempestuous weather, God has enabled him land safely.
In the surprise birthday celebration planned for him June 17, 2023 by his family members; nothing shall take away from them this fact: In God’s hand is the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.
But even more, the 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, the Bible enjoins us to ‘rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you’.
