Daud Olatunji
A retired military officer, General Ishola Williams, has revealed the financial struggles he faced after leaving the Nigerian Army.
In an interview with Trust TV’s Reminiscences, General Williams, who served in the military from 1964 until his retirement in July 1993, shared his experiences and expressed a surprising preference for being born in a different country.
Reflecting on his military career, General Williams, who held various key positions including Commandant of Army Signals and Chief of Defence Training and Planning, lamented that he left the army without any financial plans or savings.
“I think I left on November 20, 1993, and had to decide what I was going to do with myself.
I left without any plan or preparation, even with an empty bank account,” he said.
The retired general disclosed that despite his distinguished career, he faced significant financial challenges after retirement.
He recounted how he received a car from someone as a gesture of support, but had to abandon it due to numerous issues and resorted to public transport.
Efforts to establish himself in business were also hampered by financial constraints.
“One of them was trying to encourage me to be a cement distributor but I had to deposit a huge amount of money. But I had a single naira bank account, so how could I deposit a huge amount of money?” Williams explained.
General Williams also spoke about his aspirations to run a non-governmental organisation (NGO), despite the lack of funds.
He mentioned how some people in the North encouraged him to engage in contracts, while his colleagues in the South questioned his financial status.
“I already had it at the back of my mind that I was going to run a non-governmental organisation, but I needed money to do it. So, I told myself that if I could get a contract I could use what I got to run the organisation,” he said.
The retired general faced challenges in managing the NGO, including issues with accountability and standards among members.
“We were doing projects, but to get people to account for the money and deliver up to the standard expected of them, even as professors, was challenging; only very few complied,” he noted.
General Williams expressed a preference for being born in Namibia rather than Nigeria, citing the smaller size and better organisation of the Southern African country.
“Next time I will come as a Namibian, not a Nigerian! It is a small country, with a small population, but it is organised,” he stated.
General Williams’ revelations highlight the challenges faced by some retired military officers in Nigeria, particularly in terms of financial planning and post-service opportunities.
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