By Olayemi Esan
The Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has said the Army War College Nigeria has undoubtedly proven its capacity as the premier institution of learning in the Nigerian Army and is clearly fast becoming a destination of choice for armed forces of several countries in Africa and beyond.
General Yahaya said this at the inauguration ceremony of the Army War College of Nigeria Course 6/2022 on Friday 8th April 2022 which was held at the College in Abuja with 73 participants, comprises 58 Nigerian Army Officers, 2 Nigerian Navy, 2 Nigerian Air Force Officers and 5 allied Officers from friendly countries while 6 Officers from the Ministries, Departments and agencies.
The allied officers comprises of 1 officers each from the Republic of Gambia, Republic Liberia and Congo Brazzaville. There are 2 participants From the Republic of Rwanda. NDAs, 1 participants each from Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Custom Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, the Federal Road Safety Corp, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp , as well as the Economic and Financial Crime Commission.
While inaugurating the Course 6/2022, the COAS said since inception in 2017, the College has successfully conducted the Higher Military Strategy and Management Course every year, thereby fulfilling its primary role of grooming operational level military officers and a select few from relevant Ministries, Department and Agencies in Nigeria for the enormous task of conflict management and defence.
He noted that, the College has shown a defining character in its training and research activities as seen in the sterling performances of its alumni, taken off very well as a think-tank for creative and innovative management of conflict and resources in the Nigerian Army.
Inaugurating Course 6/2022, General Yahaya urged participants to take their studies seriously, as that is the only way they will be able to take away the required knowledge from the programme and justify the huge investment government has made in their training at the Army War College of Nigeria.
"Always remember, that so-much would be expected of you after this training; especially as current threats are mostly asymmetric and thus do not have readymade conventional approaches to tackling them, learn to think Out of the box' not forgetting that contemporary security challenges of the Twenty First Century submit only to knowledge based and specialized efforts", he added.
Earlier welcoming guests and participants, the Commandant, Army War College of Nigeria (AWCN) Major General Bamidele Alabi congratulates the participants of course 6/2022 on their nomination and for successfully gone through screening process that qualified them to be at the College to represent their services and agencies.
General Alabi noted that this is a milestone to all participants career and professional military education to set the stage for formal commencement of course 6 2022.
The development of the professional skill of these operational level leaders in professional skills of these operational level in operational art, operational design, campaign planning and decision making in the joint environment as become the occupation of Army War college of Nigeria since inception in February 2017.
Current security environment in the country gives avert impectus to the need to train operational level leaders to enhance their effectiveness in meeting the end of military strategic objectives in Nigeria, hence task before them on this course is enormous and the stages are very high.
He encourage all participants to think outside the box to add value to the solution being solved for the many problems which we are presentedly comfronted with at the operational level.
He thanked the Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the governing board of this college, Lt General Faruk Yahaya for his untiring effort and support in providing direction, infrastructural development and funding for the official running of the college and numerous programmes.
The guest Speaker, a former Chief of Defence Staff, General Alexander Ogomudia (Retd) who delivered the inaugural lecture on the topic "Military Leadership in a Joint Operating Environment" to help contribute towards participants leadership development process define military leadership as an art which can be learned the same way as other art.
General Ogomudia also said during his inaugural lecture that military leadership is not inherent but based upon the development of personality and traits and upon the understanding and application of sound leadership principles and techniques.
He said, leaders align and elevate individual desires into the goals and inspire others to accomplish those larger goals, even if it's means risking their lives. Leaders can sustain motivation in others by settling personal example and through respect earned over time.
General Ogomudia in his inaugural lecture for Course 6 2022 said leaders should provide clear guidance and sloow subordinate to demonstrate initiative within the commanded intent.
The guest speakers took participants on definition, concept and principles of military leadership, core leadership attributes and competencies, levels of Military leadership, challenges of military strategic leadership in a joint environment, among others.
According to Brigadier General U Muhammed Alkali said the Course will hold for 33 weeks, the participants of Army War College Course 6 will undergo series of lectures, seminars, exercises and visit, designed to enhance their competency to function efficiently as Operational Level Leaders.
The curriculum of the Army War College of Nigeria centers on the examination of theories, concept, and systems as applied to national security, strategy decision making and conflict analysis., and the central academic focus is on military strategic leadership, operational art and campaign value.
