TRADOC Launches Second Series of Educational Support Programme

By Nura Mohammed, Minna 

The Commander of the Training and Doctrine Command, Nigerian Army (TRADOC NA), Major General Kevin Aligbe, has inaugurated the second series of the TRADOC Educational Support Programme by presenting school materials to schools within the Minna Military Cantonment in Niger State.

Maj. Gen. Aligbe distributed some of the materials during the closing ceremony of the TRADOC Library Study Day Period 2024, held in Minna, the Niger state capital.

The event, organized by the Directorate of Army Training Support Centre (ATSC) in TRADOC NA, was themed “Enhancing Research Potentials and Reading Culture of NA Personnel through Effective Use of the Library.”

The Commander, who also served as the Special Guest of Honour, stated that the initiative was introduced to subsidize the educational expenses of personnel within the Minna Military Cantonment and surrounding communities who have children enrolled in the schools.

He revealed that a total of 31,000 notebooks and over 19,000 writing materials, including biros, pencils, rulers, and erasers, were produced and distributed to the pupils and students of all the schools for the 2024/2025 academic session.

Maj Gen Aligbe also noted that over 80 percent of the 7,200 beneficiaries were children of civilians from outside the cantonment. He added that the initiative is part of the command’s Civil-Military Cooperation efforts, aimed at enhancing the relationship between the Nigerian Army and the communities where it operates.

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During the 2024 Study Period, Maj Gen Aligbe emphasized that libraries are valuable platforms for acquiring new ideas and information. He encouraged participants to utilize the library facilities provided by the Nigerian Army to enhance their intellectual and research capabilities and to engage with contemporary issues related to library resources.

He stated that the forum was timely, coinciding with efforts focused on training, research, and innovation, while leveraging modern technology.

Maj Gen Aligbe expressed his appreciation to the resource persons of the Library Day Study Period for sharing their knowledge and experience on the use and management of library resources. He highlighted that the theme of the event was chosen to address the pressing need for improved library engagement among Army personnel.

In his welcome address, the Director of ATSC, Brigadier General Victor Ita, acknowledged the essential functions of libraries but noted that they face challenges such as low patronage and a lack of modern reading materials. He urged participants to engage actively during discussions to develop strategies that would enhance the library’s effectiveness and accessibility.

Brig Gen Ita also expressed gratitude to the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, and the Commander of TRADOC NA for their support in organizing the event. As the event progressed, participants were encouraged to brainstorm and share insights on improving library usage, with the aim of positioning the TRADOC NA Library as a premier repository for research and reference materials.

The event was attended by departmental chiefs, directors, the Chief of Staff, officers of TRADOC NA, officers of the 31 Artillery Brigade Minna and the 313 Artillery Regiment Minna, as well as management teams and staff of the schools in Minna Military Cantonment, among others.