The Nigerian Army has described the first woman to rise to the rank of major general in the Nigerian Army, late (retired) Major General Aderonke Kale, as a shining veteran of the Nigerian Army, who exuded unequalled commitment, diligence and unquestionable loyalty.
This, according to the Army, paved the way for others as she steadily rose through the ranks to attain the enviable height of Major General.
A statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said “the Nigerian Army received with heavy heart, but in absolute submission to the divine will of Almighty God, the news of the passing to glory of Major General Aderonke Kale rtd CFR mni, on Wednesday, 8 November 2023.”
COAS COMMISERATES WITH LATE GENERAL KALE's FAMILY… Says it is a great loss to Nigerian Army, Military
The Nigerian Army has received with heavy heart, but in absolute submission to the divine will of Almighty God, the news of the passing to glory of Major General Aderonke… pic.twitter.com/b8e25iSypK
— Nigerian Army (@HQNigerianArmy) November 11, 2023
While expressing his condolences on behalf of officers, soldiers and the civilian staff of the Nigerian Army, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, described her demise as a great loss to the Nigerian Army and the military community as a whole.
The Army chief said her legacies in the selfless service to Nigeria and humanity will remain indelible in the hearts of many, as he prayed for the repose of her soul and the fortitude for the family to bear the irreplaceable loss.
Her Achievements
General Aderonke Kale, renowned for reshaping the face of women and gender mainstreaming in the Nigerian military, was born into a family of professionals. Her father was a pharmacist, and her mother a teacher.
She had her primary education in Lagos State and Zaria, Kaduna State, and her post primary education in St. Anne’s School, Ibadan and Abeokuta Grammar School, respectively.
She opted to study medicine and successfully gained admission into the University College, which later became University of Ibadan. After her graduation as a medical doctor, she proceeded to the University of London to specialize in psychiatry.
General Kale worked briefly in Britain and returned to Nigeria in the year 1971 to join the Nigerian Army in 1972. Her competence as a psychiatrist was recognized in 1973, when she qualified as a consultant psychiatrist, and in 1982 she became chief consultant.
In the course of her service from 1980 to 1985, her management acumen came to bear in her career, when she became the commanding officer of the Military Hospital, Ibadan. She thus had the distinction of being the first woman to command a military hospital in Nigeria.
Between 1985 to 1987, she performed the same feat in the Military Hospital, Enugu, and from 1989 to 1990 in the Military Hospital, Benin. With such vital experience, she was elevated to the position of deputy commandant, Nigerian Army Medical Corps and School, in 1991 until 1994.
In 1994, she became the first female officer to be promoted to the rank of major general in the Nigerian Army and the West African subregion. She finally attained the peak of her career, when she became the commandant of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps.
It was the first time in the history of the Nigerian Army that a female officer was entrusted with the crucial responsibility of health care for all Nigerian Army personnel and their families.
