By Daniels Nwokike, The Sight News
The Minister of Defence, Mohammad Mansur Dan Ali, while inaugurating the Course One of the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) in Abuja, disclosed that training and continuous training is the only way the Armed Forces of Nigeria can effectively discharge its constitutional duties.
The minister who also doubled as the special guest of honour of the ceremony while delivering his speech at the formal inauguration on Thursday, said that the Army War College (AWC) was established to develop the capacities of officers at the operational level which forms the epicenter of the Armed Forces between tactical and the strategic levels.
He stated that the importance of the training cannot be overemphasized as he expressed believe that most of the security challenges bedeviling the country can only be tackled at the operational level, he therefore charged the selected officers who are the pioneer participants of the AWCN to take the course seriously as enormous resources has been expended to provide such a world class training.
Mansur enthused that professionalism, training and purposeful leadership at all levels of the military leadership are the major contributing factors that ensured the degradation of Boko Haram which had held territories within the country while terrorizing, maiming and killing innocent Nigerians.
The minister noted that the curriculum of the AWC covers operational art as well as inter-agency cooperation and coordination in military operations. “This would equip officers on one hand with the necessary tools required to plan and execute military operations while on the other hand it will create synergy among all security agencies in the conduct of operations. The Nigerian Army must therefore continue to build intellectual capacities through education”, he quipped.
The AWCN which is the premier institution for professional military education in the Nigerian Army (NA) is the highest training institution that prepares senior army officers for development and employment of land power in a joint, multinational and inter-agency environment, conduct research on National Security and military strategies.
In order to provide guidance on the activities of the college, the College Board is constituted as follows: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) – Chairman, Commander TRADOC – Member, Chief of Training and Operations (Army) – Member, Commandant AWCN – Member, and Director of Coordination/Studies – Secretary.
The pioneer staff of the college include: Maj Gen A.G Okunlola – Commandant, Brig Gen C. Ofoche – Director Coordination/Studies, Col M.A Uba – College Librarian, Col J.H Abdussalam – Directing staff, Col A.A Adeyinka – Directing Staff, Col B.A Alabi – Directing Staff, Col C.D Nengite – Directing Staff, Col S.T Shafaru – Directing Staff, Maj O.J Osoba – College PRO, and Maj I.N Ijioma – Ag CO Intelligence Regiment.
The ceremony was well attended by both local and foreign dignitaries.
