The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor has commended the efforts and contributions of officers and men of the Nigerian Army towards protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria, in conjunction with its sister services and other security agencies.
He particularly Commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya for providing the needed leadership to accomplish the admirable successes of the Nigerian Army across theatres of operation.
General Irabor gave the commendations on Thursday, 26th of January, 2023 at the commissioning of the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre, Giri.
General Lucky Irabor assured the personnel of the Nigerian Army of the Defence Headquarters unwavering support and needed strategic guidance to foster a professional armed forces capable of effectively addressing the nation’s security and defence challenges.
He said the novel idea of the Chief of Army Staff to create a reservoir of competent and dedicated officers and civilian experts who would pilot the affairs of the Heritage and Future Centre, to address Nigerian Army peculiar challenges was not only a step in the right but indeed a welcome development.
“I have been Informed that the centre was created to serve as a research establishment for the Army in the formulation and development of Policy framework, I fervently believe that the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre as intended will add value to the Nigerian Army’s activities in terms of preserving our history and drawing lessons for ongoing and furture operations through critical analysis”
“It is pertinent to mention that the central role research plays in providing constructive solutions to myraid of problems facing the armed forces of Nigeria, the dynamics of the operating environment of the armed forces of Nigeria demand that we exray the lenses of our engagement in various thematic areas. It is my fervent hope that this centre Wil provide the veritable opportunity for serving as well as retired officers to contribute to the Nigerian Army’s future development and modernization agenda through focused research”
Innovative Ideas
The CDS noted that the centre has a Directorate dedicate to improving jointness in operational as well as other activities with sister services and on the whole he expects the centre to add impetus to the system through innovative ideas to problems solving approach of the Nigerian Army in particular and the Armed forces in general.
To the officers who will be working at the centre, General Irabor urged them to take cognisance of the fact that it shouldn’t just be about occupying space but to set goals and work to attaining them for the better excellence of the Nigerian Army in particular and the Armed forces in general.
He therefore assured them of the Defence Headquarters unwavering support and needed strategic guidance to foster a professional armed forces capable of effectively addressing the nation’s security and defence challenges.
The Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya stated that the Nigerian Army Heritage Centre will be a factory of ideas leading Nigerian Army to the future.
General Yahaya said the establishment of the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre is to among other keyroles, plan for the entrenchent and preservation of Nigerian Army Heritage, provide strategic inputs for future plans and continuous modernization of the Nigerian Army, as well as act as loyal opposition to the Nigerian Army by constantly calling out inconsistencies and flaws within the system.
“The Nigerian Army has Undergone transformation since since the advent of democracy, initially the major drive of the transformation was to entrench professionalism and regimentation in personnel towards achieving operational successes as well as improving the image of the Nigerian Army. This is largely been achieved over time and now being consolidated under my watch with robust operational and administrative miles stones recorded, it is my desire to implace majors that will prevent a reversal of the gains based on existing successes and project Nigerian Army as a model, highly professional Army into the future”
“One of such majors is the aggregation of highly skilled, competent, senior and experienced Army officers, and others with requisite competencies to address Nigerian Army’s specific thematic challenges. This is to be achieved through productive research, analyses, studies and suggestions of noble solutions to make Nigerian Army more effective resilient and an adaptive force”
“The Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre will also work to institutionalize and maintain noble solutions to tacticical, operational, training, administrative and logistic challenges of the Nigerian Army. It is my believe that accurate future casting based on sound analysis and research will facilitate the impeachment of framework that will ensure the deployment of adaptable, resilient and effective forces to confront and defeat current and immersing threats, thus ensuring a ready force for all contingencies and emergencies,” Stated the COAS.
The Chief of Policy and Plans Army, Major General Anthony Omozoje, revealed that in addition to expanding the scope of the centre, the Chief of Army Staff has indicated that two additional structures will be added to the ground as the centre is intended to be a factory of towards maintaining the essence of the Nigerian Army now and in the future.
Some of the facilities in the centre include 79 offices, the Chief of Army Staff wing, the Director General office, a Library and a capacity conference room, Restaurant as well as an IT room amongst others.
Lateefah Ibrahim
