By Samuel Abulude
To foster a robust relationship between civilians and the military, the Nigerian Army has opened a window for collaboration with Nollywood filmmakers on movies that will endear the military to the people, including a possible story about insurgency war against the Islamist extremist group, Boko Haram.
The chief of civil/military affairs, Nigerian Army Headquarters, Major General Rogers Ibe Nicholas, at the unveiling of a movie entitled 76 which is set against the backdrop of war and nation building, described the partnership as part of the new focus of the military in the new dispensation under the leadership of Major General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, Chief of Army Staff.
The movie, starring Rita Dominic, Chidi Mokeme and Ramsey Nouah, the Adonis with Tonye Princewill as the executive producer is inspired by events which led up to and followed the botched 1976 coup d’etat, and features real life, archived, actual footage that contributes to the movie’s overall authenticity.
Princewill confirmed that the execution of the movie was also done with the approval and support from the Nigerian Army. He revealed that the army made available the facilities at Mokola Barracks, Ibadan where the Izu Ojukwu-directed movie was shot for six months.
Gen. Nicholas said, “With every regime come different concepts and ideas. So with the coming of Gen T.Y Buratai as Chief of Army Staff, he has a vision which is to have a professionally responsive Nigerian army in discharge of its constitutional mandate. And part of that is to develop a military/civil relationship that will close the gap between the military and the civilians. “That is what we are trying to do. The issues of people not having channels to complain are now a thing of the past.
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