At 150 years, Army takes stock

The Nigerian Army Day Celebrations (NADCEL) is an annual event during which the  army headquarters and formations  across the country celebrate their achievements, conduct drills and equipment display, as well as carry out community development projects to enhance civil-military cohesion. NADCEL 2012 took place in Kaduna where an armoured personnel carrier made by the army […]

The Nigerian Army Day Celebrations (NADCEL) is an annual event during which the  army headquarters and formations  across the country celebrate their achievements, conduct drills and equipment display, as well as carry out community development projects to enhance civil-military cohesion.
NADCEL 2012 took place in Kaduna where an armoured personnel carrier made by the army was unveiled, while the infantry auditorium which was abandoned at foundation stage in 1983, was completed by direct labour and commissioned by President Goodluck Jonathan. At the end of the event it was resolved that the 2013 NADCEL will hold in Bauchi where there will also be armoured reunion.
NADC EL 2013 coincided with the 150 years of the existence of the army, formed by British colonial officers in 1863. The activities commenced with a press briefing at the army headquarters where Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika,  represented by the Chief of Civil-Military Affairs Major General Bola Koleoso ,said that events were slated for the 2013 NADCEL between June 28 and July 6, with the theme ‘enhancing the Nigerian army’s capacity building effort s towards improved national security’.
 He said this Year’s NADCEL coincided with the 150 years of the  existence of the army which was formed in 1863, when Lieutenant Glover of the Royal Navy selected 18 indigenes of northern Nigeria and organized them into a local force, known as the ‘Glover Hausas’ and later ‘Lagos Constabulary’. The force passed through several changes until 1960, when Nigeria became independent, and the then Nigerian Military Force (NMF) became the Royal Niger Army (RNA). RNA metamorphosed into Nigerian Army in 1963.
He said this year’s events were shifted to Abuja, while the reunion earlier slated for Bauchi will hold there in September.     
Prayers were said during the Jumu’at service at the Mogadishu cantonment Mosque on July 28, while interdenominational church service was held on July 30 at the cantonment’s Protestant Church.
The army medical personnel offered free services to locals in Dukpa, Gwagwalada Abuja on July 3, while Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA) commissioned the NAOWA Nursery and Primary School Kurudu, Abuja, as well as distributed welfare items to orphanages and hospitals in Abuja on July 5.
The National President of NAOWA Mrs. Gift Nnenna Ihejirika said at the commissioning ceremony the Association is “taking a positive look at the plight of widows, orphans and youths and pursuing with vigour its girl child education programme in all our barracks and beyond.” She said NAOWA has established vocational centers across the country to enhance skills acquisition. “Our vocational centers across the federation have over the years been in the forefront in the provision of alternative form of education and adult literacy programmes for youths, widows, orphans and physically challenged. Today most of these categories of our citizens have become productive, self sufficient and employable.”     
A combat display March and equipment display took place on July 6 during which Paratroopers and sniffer dogs  exhibited their talents. Some army personnel performed gymnastic feats. Various surveillance and fighting equipment including armoured personnel carriers and armoured tanks were on the display.  Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika said the choice of July 6 for NADCEL was symbolic, because it was the date that the first shot of the Nigerian Civil War was fired at Gakem, Cross River State. “The date is chosen to continuously put into our consciousness the need to promote peace and unity.”       
The chief said new departments and formations were established in order to build the capabilities of the army including the department of civil-military affairs, army transformation and innovation centre and the directorate of campaign and planning. “The department of civil-military affairs was established to provide interface between the army and civil populace, so as to increase public awareness on our efforts at combating terrorism. Also, the army transformation and innovation centre was set up to promote innovative ideas ,and enable us derive benefits from lesson learnt in our previous and ongoing operations. The directorate of campaign and planning was established at the army headquarters to enhance our preparations through early monitoring of current and future threats in order to prepare contingencies to deal with them. Some of the new formations established to enhance our capability include 14 brigade, Ohafia, headquarters and garrison 32 brigade in Akure, an additional unit for the guards brigade and 101 battalion at Kainji, while efforts are ongoing for the establishment of new units in Azare, Mubi amongst others.”
He said the counter terrorism and counter insurgency centre in Kontagora had trained 11,951 personnel since 2011, with another 3004 currently undergoing training. Quick response group training is being conducted in army schools at Kachia, Jaji and Makurdi while amphibious training was reinvigorated at Calabar.
“As part of capacity building, we recognized that all our neighbouring countries are French speaking, and the need for French language proficiency during any combined operations. We have therefore established the Nigerian army language institute with overall intention of making every army personnel bilingual in few years to come. The institute will effectively take-off before the end of this year.”

Ihejirika said the mechanical and electrical engineers of the army were able to repair 42 broken down armoured personnel carriers in the UN mission in Darfur, as well as several  fighting vehicles and artillery equipment which have been unserviceable for over a decade.
Army officers whose ingenuity contributed in the repairs, creation and maintenance of equipment as well improving personnel development and tackling security challenges were given awards by President Goodluck Jonathan.   They are Major General A.K Kwaskebe, Major General N.C Maduegbunam, Major General J.N Nwaoga, Major General G.A Wahab, Brigadier General I.I Abbah, Brigadier General C.T Olukoju, Brigadier General O.F Azinta, Brigadier General B.O Ogunkale, Lieutenant Colonel A.K Lawal, Lieutenant Colonel Y. Ibrahim, Lieutenant Colonel G.O Olorunyomi, Major A.K Ali, Captain I.B.M Madu, Captain Y.M Abdullah and Lieutenant Olowonigba.
Junior officers who received the awards included Warrant Office Sheba Jefferson, Staff Sergeant Nwosu Onyematuruch, Staff Sergeant Mohammed Lawal, Staff Sergeant Omale Tijani, Staff Sergeant Usmania Ladan, Staff Sergeant Lawal Kwari, Corporal Moses Okoye, Corporal Kehinde Famuwagun, Lance Corporal Hassan Iyam, Lance Corporal Edith Agu Ogoke, Lance Corporal Solomon Jegede and Michael Egwuatu.
President Jonathan congratulated the army for the NADCEL events and said he was satisfied with the conduct of the military in the North-East region since the declaration of the state of emergency. “As we march forward, I urge you to continue to abide by the army’s hallowed practices and core character of service.
“I also urge you to keep to the rules of engagement, especially respect for human rights in all your operational activities.
“In the current stabilizing phase of your operations, the welfare and wellbeing of the people of the communities where you live and work, must be your primary focus.”