The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja has charged newly commissioned officers in the Nigerian Army to do all within their power to protect the nation’s nascent democracy.
According to Lagbaja, “the only thing better than democracy in this modern era for Nigeria is more democracy.”
The COAS stated this to Officer Cadets during the Passing Out Parade and Commissioning cum Oath Taking Ceremony for Executive Commission Course 1/2023, which was conducted at the Major Bulama Biu Parade Ground, Military Cantonment, Jaji, Kaduna.
Gen Lagbaja maintained that all officers and men of the Nigerian Army must be reminded that subordination of the military to constituted authority remained the most fashionable means of promoting military professionalism. The army chief while noting that the desire of every Nigerian was flourishing, uninterrupted constitutional democratic governance that promotes national values and the interest of every well-meaning Nigerian, irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliation, charged them to be proud champions of our flourishing democracy and remain apolitical in discharging their constitutional duties.”
He reaffirmed that the NA remained committed to ensuring the security of lives and property across the country, stressing that the Army was working assiduously to protect the territorial integrity of the nation and support relevant security agencies in ensuring the security of lives and property within the country.
The COAS, afterwards, conferred Presidential Commission on the passing out cadets, to the rank of lieutenant, after which the Oath of Allegiance was administered to them at the Lieutenant General Ihejirika Auditorium.
The 239 passing out cadets comprising 12 female and 228 male cadets were already in service as soldiers and were drawn from various corps of the NA, before they were selected for Executive Commissioning, after three months of intensive military training, spanning May 1 to August 5, 2023.
At the passing out ceremony, three cadets emerged in flying colours amongst their contemporaries. Cadet A Saminu came first in order of merit, while Cadet SC Nwokanta came second while Cadet OY Yahaya bagged the third position.
The Commandant Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Major General Oluyemi Olatoye, who superintended the training of the cadets, noted that they had been imbued with requisite skills to function as officers. He pointed out that the newly commissioned officers had been trained to be loyal, courageous and dedicated in their service to the nation.
The highpoint of the event was the presentation of Parchment of Commission to the newly commissioned officers.
All after the commissioning ceremony, the COAS paid an empathy visit to officers and soldiers who were wounded in action during operational engagements at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna.