The 70 men and women, special guests for 2018, thrilled Yaounde May 20 participants with their “Special Silent Deal Parade.”
Cameroon’s National Day 2018 is now history but the huge crowd of people, of all walks of life, who witnessed the military and civilian parade at the 20th May Boulevard downtown Yaounde will hardly forget a display of this year’s special guest – The Nigerian Defence Forces.
The 70 brave soldiers of the Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Armed Forces, which is the Elite Force that carries out national functions on behalf of the Nigerian army as well as provide security of the Presidency and the entire Federal Capital City, held spectators spellbound with a thrilling performance.
Their show which kick-started the military parade of the 46th National Day in Yaounde excited the Head of State, Paul Biya, and wife, Chantal, who joined other dignitaries in cheering. It equally drew roaring applause from the crowd that turned up for the ceremony.
Talking to Cameroon Tribune after the spectacular display, Lieutenant Colonel Mukhtar Sani Daroda, Commanding Officer, 7 Guards Battalion, Guards Brigade-Nigerian Army, Team Leader Nigerian Contingent to Cameroon for May 20, 2018, said their performance was pregnant with meaning.
Describing the display as a “Special Silent Deal Parade”, the Military Official said their performance in front of President Paul Biya and his guests consisted in forming two signs: A heart which signified love and NA, meaning Nigerian Army.
This depicted the attachment the soldiers have for the fatherland- Nigeria, anywhere they find themselves. Meanwhile, the heart portrayed the love Cameroon and Nigeria share in almost all areas and especially in being one another’s keeper, especially in crisis moments like now.
Understandably so owing to common security challenges that stared both countries in the face with the Boko Haram insurgency. The majestic display, characterised by constant bowing down of heads and knees in reverence to the host and the home countries, was therefore illustrative of the conviviality, tenacity and above all the professionalism with which Cameroon and Nigerian Defence Forces, under the guidance of the two Heads of State, have fought to drastically reduce the destructive power of Boko Haram. The weakened bestial sect has reduced their actions to sporadic and fainthearted suicide bombings.
Before 2018, the Nigerian Contingent last participated in Cameroon’s National Day in 2013 and the detachment marched in what experts qualified as the Queen’s Steps. Innovating this year with a “Special Silent Deal Parade” may signify the composure but acumen with which the two forces share intelligence information and federate field operations to completely annihilate Boko Haram and other rivals of peace, security and threats to socio-economic development that Cameroon and Nigeria need and for which the two leaders tirelessly work.