It was a colourful event and rightly tagged Trooping and Presentation of Colours by the Nigerian Army. It is usually conducted once in 15 to 20 years as desired by the country’s armed forces but the last time such a parade was conducted in Nigeria was in 2007 when 32 units/regiments were issued with new colours.

On Thursday while 53 colours were being retired, 81 new national and regimental colours were presented. This implied that 28 new units were created as a result of security challenges all over the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces conducted the historic ceremony which was done in line with military tradition all over the world. He threw away the Babariga and Agbada his regular outfit as civilian president and adorned his military uniform which he wore about 38 years ago when he retired from the Nigerian Army.

To the uninitiated, the dazzling performance of the officers and men was just march past and the different types of the exercise. But Thursday’s event was more than that. It was one of the core military traditions.

According to military historians, the British colonial authority was the first to issue the first colours to the then Nigerian Recruitment Training Centre, now Depot Nigerian Army located in Zaria, established on 1 August, 1924, under the command of Major Hassar, then a British Officer.

Specifically, there is a difference between the normal flags we see in public places, schools etc and military colours. The unit regimental colours were sanctified and consecrated by military priests and Alfa(Christian and Muslim military leaders).

Three religious leaders prayed for the successes of the Armed Forces in all their engagements.

“Presentation of colours is a rallying point for troops and match location of the commanders in a better view. Eligibility of units to receive colours is another milestone as colours are regarded with great reverence.

“Regimental colours are awarded to formations and units after their formation and are retired when the formation or unit becomes defunct as a result of organization or structural changes. Colours are retired ceremoniously where the entire parade will give a final compliment to the colours,” one of the anchors explained on the public address system.

Trooping and presentation of colours parade is conducted when retiring the old colours of a regiment/unit and presenting the regiment/unit with a new one.

It entails marching/trooping the old colours past the formed up soldiers of the regiment/unit, retiring the colours, presenting the new colours to the regiment/unit and then consecrating the new colours.

President Buhari confirmed the old saying that: “old soldier never dies”, it was as if he was still in the military as his steps matched the drum beats and he knew what he should do anytime he had a role to play.

He touched each of the 81 new colours presented and took salutes at the right time.

While commenting on the event, the Director, Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, who was one of the officers that anchored the event, said that colours of several units in the army had either been damaged or worn out since 2007.

Mr Nwachukwu, a brigadier general, said that several units had also been established an operationalised and deserving of new colours.

He said these factors necessitated the approval by the Chief of Army Staff, Faruk Yahaya, a lieutenant general, for the conduct of the 2023 trooping and presentation of colours parade.

Present at the event were General Yakubu Gowon, former President Goodluck Jonathan , the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, members of the federal executive council, traditional rulers, services chiefs and members of the diplomatic community.