The Nigerian Army is set to retire 53 troops’ colours, to unveil 28 new ones on Thursday, as about 81 NA units will be participating in trooping and presentation of colours parade which was last conducted in 2007.
President Buhari members of the National Executive Council, concerned state governors, military chiefs, and members of the diplomatic corps, among others, are expected to be present at the parade.
Since 2007, new units have been established and operationalised in line with the increasing operational commitments of the Nigerian Army as well as provisions of extant Nigerian Army “Order of Battle”.
During a press conference at the Army Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, noted that the army was excited to host what he tagged one of its historic traditional events.
Nwachukwu said, “Historically, the origin of colours dated back to the early days when men fixed their family badge to a pole and held it aloft in the battle for the dual purpose of indicating their position and as a rallying point, should the occasion arise. This tradition was sustained by medieval chivalry as armorial bearings were placed on their banners so that these could be seen well above the melee.
At the beginning of the 16th century, when armies were beginning to adopt a system of regimentation, each unit was allotted a colour, a custom which persisted till present day.
“In the NA, the first known account of colours dated back to 1863 when the company designated for Nigeria moved from Gold Coast (now Ghana) to Nigeria with their company’s flag, which represented their colours or guidon as they are called by the British.
However, colour presentation in the NA for the first time was done in 1922 when the then British monarch, His Majesty, King John V, awarded colours to each battalion of the Nigerian regiments, which formed part of the British West African Frontier Forces, in recognition of their services.
“The regiment, as a whole, was also granted a colour which has an inscription written in Arabic captioned ‘Victory is from God Alone,’ and till date, this inscription is being used by the Nigerian Army on the logo and also on NA officers’ cap badges of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and below as well as non-commissioned officers.”