Chief of staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila has revealed why he could not join the military despite his passion for it.
Mr Gbajabiamila explained on Friday at the inauguration of a 1200-seater auditorium he facilitated at Albalti Army Barracks, Surulere, Lagos State.
The hall was named after President Bola Tinubu.
He said he made several attempts to join the military in his youth but was unsuccessful.
“I actually wanted to be a soldier, but the problem at recruitment interviews then was either my weight or my size,” he said.
He explained that the rejection came when he compared himself to other candidates.
“When I looked at the people to my right who were also attempting and looked at the people to my left who also came for the interview, no one needed to tell me to go home,” Gbajabiamila added.
Unable to secure entry into the military, he pursued law as a career.
“It was when I could not join the military that I became a lawyer. I admire soldiers so much; they are an inspiration to people like us,” he said.
The chief of staff commended the military for their sacrifices in preserving Nigeria’s unity, protecting democracy and stabilising the country.
Gbajabiamila noted that the facilitation of Bola Tinubu Hall and other projects in the barracks was his way of showing appreciation for the role of the military in nation-building.
The event was attended by APC leaders, including Desmond Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly and officers and men of the Nigerian Army.
