By Olayemi Esan, Abuja
The
Historical Society of Nigeria (HSON) on Tuesday conferred the honourary
Associate Fellow of Historical Society of Nigeria (AFHSN) award on the
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya for his outstanding
leadership of the Nigerian Army.
Director, Army Public
Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu in a statement to Defence
Correspondents in Abuja said the ceremony took place at the Nigerian
Army Resource Centre (NARC), Asokoro, Abuja.
He added that the Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Manu Yusuf and Director General, Nigerian Army Resource Center (NARC), Maj. Gen. Garba Wahab (rtd) similarly received awards from the Society.
Speaking
at the event, the Acting President HSON, Professor Okpeh Okpeh, said
the award is very well deserved, considering the visionary and astute
leadership provided by the COAS for the Nigerian Army since his
assumption of command.
He pointed out that this culminated in
the successes being recorded in ongoing military campaigns and other
Army operations across the country.
Prof Okpe also commended the Nigerian Army for making a concerted effort in maintaining cordial civil-military relations with the general public.
While accepting the award, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya described HSON as one of the oldest associations in Nigeria, established in 1955. He disclosed that the Nigerian Army has quite a good number of senior officers as members of the body and called on all personnel who are historians to identify with the Society.
Speaking on behalf of all the awardees, the
COAS expressed appreciation to the Governing Council of the body of
historians, adding that the investiture will spur them to leave a legacy
of excellent institutional memory, by demonstrating exemplary
leadership in their respective offices and the nation at large.
The President HSON, who congratulated the COAS and other recipients, maintained that the awardees have contributed enormously to the development of History as an academic discipline in Nigeria.
