NIGERIA, Dec. 3 -- When President Bola Tinubu nominated General Christopher Musa as Nigeria's next Minister of Defence, many Nigerians welcomed the decision with cautious optimism. Musa, a battle-tested officer who served as Chief of Defence Staff of the Armed Forces, is widely respected for his experience in counterterrorism and his deep understanding of Nigeria's security landscape. His appointment appeared to signal a renewed seriousness in tackling the country's worsening insecurity..

Yet, beneath the optimism lies a sobering reality that, no matter how competent, patriotic, and determined General Musa may be, politics and politicians will stand as his biggest obstacles. If proof for this is needed, it is in the realisation that Nige...