Abuja, Nigeria – Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), has described soldiering as involving “some element of madness.”

Oluyede made the statement while presenting his curriculum vitae and experiences as Chief of Army Staff during the ongoing Senate screening of new service chiefs on Wednesday.

Explaining his remark, the CDS said that while ordinary individuals naturally flee from danger, a soldier is expected to advance toward it and confront the threat.

He further emphasized the demands of being a service chief in Nigeria, saying it requires total commitment, sleeplessness, and constant readiness, adding, “And do everything under duress to make Nigeria safer.”

“There is something special about being a soldier; to be a soldier, there is some element of madness. For a right-thinking person, when there is danger, you expect to retreat, but a soldier is expected to go forward and face that challenge,” Oluyede said.

Oluyede was recently appointed Chief of Defence Staff to succeed General Christopher Musa, who was removed from office last week by President Bola Tinubu.