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Air Commodore Dan Suleiman: The Soldier-Statesman Who Championed Nigeria’s Middle Belt

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From the Nigerian Air Force to the corridors of power, Dan Suleiman’s life was a testament to courage, leadership, and dedication to national unity.

Air Commodore Dan Suleiman (OFR) (30 July 1942 – 1 February 2023) was a distinguished Nigerian Air Force officer, administrator, and politician. A man of discipline and vision, Suleiman served Nigeria both in uniform and in civilian life, leaving an enduring mark on the nation’s military and political landscape.

Early Life and Education

Dan Suleiman was born on 30 July 1942 in Guyuk, located in present-day Adamawa State, Nigeria. He hailed from the Middle Belt region and was known for his strong advocacy for unity and equality among Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups. His early education took place in northern Nigeria, after which he was selected for military training at a time when the Nigerian Air Force was in its formative years.

He received professional training both locally and abroad, equipping him with the technical and leadership skills that would define his later career. His military education included studies in air operations, command leadership, and strategic defence planning.

Military Career and Role in National Governance

Dan Suleiman rose through the ranks of the Nigerian Air Force, earning a reputation as one of the pioneering officers who helped shape the force in its early years. By the mid-1970s, his competence and loyalty earned him a position on General Murtala Muhammed’s Supreme Military Council — the country’s highest decision-making body between July 1975 and March 1976.

In March 1976, following the tragic assassination of General Murtala Muhammed and the subsequent restructuring of states under General Olusegun Obasanjo, Dan Suleiman was appointed Military Governor of the newly created Plateau State. He succeeded Abdullahi Mohammed, who had been governor of the former Benue-Plateau State before it was divided.

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As governor from March 1976 to July 1978, Suleiman focused on rebuilding trust and infrastructure in the state. His administration prioritised education, healthcare, and social development while maintaining peace among Plateau’s multi-ethnic communities. He was regarded as a fair and development-oriented leader who upheld discipline in governance.

Political and Civil Leadership

After retiring from military service, Air Commodore Suleiman transitioned into politics and civil advocacy. With the return to democratic rule in 1999, he became the Chairman of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) — a socio-political group advocating for the rights, unity, and representation of the Middle Belt region.

Under his leadership, the MBF became a major voice in Nigeria’s democratic space, promoting national dialogue and regional integration. Suleiman spoke firmly on issues of fairness, federalism, and equitable resource distribution. His leadership helped strengthen the political awareness of the Middle Belt region, bridging divides between the North and South.

He was also a strong advocate of good governance, transparency, and human rights. His contributions to the political reawakening of the Middle Belt earned him immense respect among his peers and across Nigeria’s political spectrum.

Honours and Recognition

In recognition of his service to the nation, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman was awarded the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) — one of Nigeria’s highest national honours. Throughout his career, he was celebrated for his integrity, sense of duty, and enduring commitment to national unity.

He also served on various boards and committees that focused on national security, regional development, and political reform.

Personal Life and Death

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Dan Suleiman was known to be a devoted family man, deeply religious, and guided by values of humility and service. He maintained a low public profile in his later years, focusing on mentorship and regional advocacy.

He passed away on 1 February 2023 at the age of 80. His death was widely mourned across Nigeria, especially in the Middle Belt region, where he was regarded as one of its most principled and influential voices.

References:

Vanguard Nigeria, “Former Plateau Military Governor, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, Dies at 80,” (2023)

The Guardian Nigeria, “Middle Belt Forum Chairman, Dan Suleiman, Passes Away at 80,” (2023)

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Lifestyle

Women Who Love and Listen to Their Pastors More Than Their Husbands Should Be the Pastor’s Second Wife

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This statement may sound funny, provocative, or even offensive, but it raises an important question about priorities in marriage and religion.

A pastor is a spiritual leader, but he is not supposed to replace a woman’s husband. If a married woman consistently values her pastor’s opinions above her husband’s, obeys her pastor while dismissing her husband, or shows greater loyalty and admiration toward her pastor than toward her spouse, then something may be seriously wrong with the balance in that marriage.

Marriage requires communication, mutual respect, trust, and understanding. A pastor can provide spiritual guidance, but that guidance should not become a reason for a husband and wife to lose respect for each other.

At the same time, husbands should not expect their wives to obey them blindly. Both husband and wife should seek God’s wisdom, communicate openly, and make decisions with love and respect.

So perhaps the real question is not whether such a woman should become the pastor’s “second wife,” but why has the pastor become more important in her marriage than her own husband?

Put God first. Respect your spouse. And never allow a spiritual leader to become a substitute for your marriage partner.

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Lifestyle

Why is it only in Africa that we hear so much about “generational curses”?

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This is a question worth asking—not to insult African traditions or dismiss anyone’s beliefs, but to encourage honest reflection.

Across Africa, it is common to hear people explain repeated family problems as a “generational curse.” When poverty, broken relationships, addiction, failure, sickness, family conflict or misfortune appears to repeat from one generation to another, some people immediately conclude that an ancestor, spiritual force or past wrongdoing is responsible.

But is every repeated family problem truly a curse?

If a child grows up in poverty, has limited access to quality education, receives little financial support and then struggles as an adult, is that necessarily a spiritual curse—or could it be the result of circumstances that have been passed from one generation to another?

If children grow up watching violence, substance abuse, unhealthy relationships or constant conflict, they may unknowingly repeat those patterns. That does not necessarily mean they are cursed. Sometimes behaviour is inherited through environment, not through supernatural forces.

And Africa is certainly not the only place where people believe in supernatural explanations for suffering or misfortune. Different societies around the world have their own concepts of inherited wrongdoing, family misfortune, ancestral consequences, fate and spiritual punishment.

So perhaps the more important question is not:

“Who cursed my family?”

But:

“What pattern has been passed down to me, and what can I do to stop passing it to the next generation?”

We should be careful not to use the idea of a curse to discourage people from taking action. A family facing poverty may need education, opportunity and financial planning. A family experiencing repeated conflict may need healthier communication. A person struggling with addiction may need professional support and a strong recovery environment. Communities facing injustice may need better institutions, accountability and opportunity.

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Faith and spirituality are deeply meaningful to many people, and everyone has the right to hold their beliefs. But faith should not prevent us from examining the practical causes of our problems.

We cannot change the past, but we can change what we pass forward.

Instead of teaching our children that they are victims of an unavoidable family curse, let us also teach them knowledge, discipline, emotional strength, financial responsibility, education, healthy relationships and the courage to break destructive patterns.

Maybe the greatest “curse” is not something mysterious placed upon a family.

Maybe sometimes it is simply a problem that nobody stopped long enough to understand and change.

And the greatest inheritance we can give the next generation is not fear of a curse—but the knowledge and courage to build a better future.

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Lifestyle

You are very proud to speak big English, but yet you cannot speak your own language?

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There is nothing wrong with speaking English fluently. In fact, being able to communicate confidently in different languages is a valuable skill. But we should ask ourselves a deeper question: while learning to speak the language of another culture, are we slowly losing the language that connects us to our own roots?

Your mother tongue is more than just words. It carries the stories of your ancestors, the wisdom of your grandparents, the jokes that only your people understand, the traditional greetings, the names, the songs, the history and the identity of your community.

Imagine being able to speak perfect English, but struggling to have a simple conversation with your own grandmother because you do not understand the language she grew up speaking. Imagine your children knowing foreign languages but being unable to understand the language of their own heritage.

That should make us pause.

Speaking English does not make you more intelligent, and speaking your indigenous language does not make you less educated. One is a communication skill; the other can be a connection to your heritage. We should not have to choose between being educated and preserving our identity.

Learn English. Speak it confidently. Learn French, Dutch, Spanish or any other language that opens doors for you.

But don’t let the pursuit of foreign languages close the door to your own.

Teach your children your language. Speak it at home. Ask your parents and grandparents to teach you the words you never learned. If you have forgotten it, it is never too late to start again.

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Because when a language disappears from a family, something precious disappears with it.

Be proud of your education. Be proud of your ability to speak English. But also be proud of where you come from.

Your language is not something to be ashamed of. It is a part of your story. Preserve it before the next generation only knows it as something their ancestors once spoke.

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