... Celebrates Excellence at Annual Speech and Prize-Giving Ceremony
The graduating students of Command Day Secondary School, Abuja, have been urged to embrace the future with courage, curiosity, and character.
The Commander of the Guards Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Adebisi Onasanya gave the advice at the school’s annual Speech and Prize-Giving Ceremony on Thursday in Abuja.
The Speech and Prize-Giving Ceremony for graduating students is a long-standing tradition in Command Day schools, carrying significant educational, social, and developmental value.
The ceremony according to Brig.-Gen. Adebisi Onasanya is recognised for Academic and Non-Academic Excellence, inspiring both awardees and other students to work harder in their studies and personal development.
He advised graduating students of Command Day Secondary School, Abuja, to be bold, kind, and strive for excellence in their future pursuits.
“Your achievements today are proof of your resilience and commitment. But this is just the beginning. The world beyond these gates awaits your innovation, discipline, and integrity.
He commended the teachers, parents, and school management for their unwavering dedication to shaping the next generation of leaders.
He also reminded students that setbacks were part of the journey, urging them to see every failure as a lesson and every success as a stepping stone.
“Go out there and make a difference. Your future is bright—and the world is watching,” he concluded.
In a moving address that blended inspiration, gratitude, and a call to leadership, the Special Guest of Honour, Commander Army Headquarters Garrison, Major General Maxwell Dangana delivered a powerful message of encouragement to students, staff, and parents at the Annual Speech and Prize-Giving Ceremony of Command Day School, held in Abuja
Major General Dangana hailed the event as more than a ceremony, describing it as “a celebration of excellence, a recognition of hard work, and a tribute to discipline, resilience, and community spirit.”
He congratulated the graduating and award-winning students for their commitment, determination, and resilience, noting that their accomplishments reflected not only academic success but a strong moral foundation. “Let every failure be a lesson and every success a stepping stone to greater heights,” he advised.
The senior military officer, who represented the Nigerian Army Headquarters Garrison, encouraged the students to embrace challenges and explore new ideas with courage and curiosity. “The world beyond the walls of this school will present both opportunities and challenges,” he said. “Develop a good mindset. Believe in your potential. Attack and rise above obstacles.”
Earlier, the Commandant of Command Day school, Lt.-Col. Ovie Akise advised the graduating students to be good ambassadors of the school in their future endeavours by maintaining the highest level of discipline and dedication.
"Let us not wait for the future to happen. Let us deal with it. Let us continue to empower, to guide, and to monitor the values we wish to see in the next generation. In every lesson, in every move, and in every decision, let us shape leaders who we would be proud of.
"As we celebrate excellence today, may we also renew our commitment to the journey ahead. Let us rise together to the challenges of raising a generation that will not just inherit tomorrow, but lead it,” he said.
The Guest speaker, a renowned academic, Dr Longman Sambo, in his lecture titled “Empowering the Future”, called on students to be bold dreamers, courageous learners, and compassionate leaders in a world desperately in need of solutions.
“Leaders don’t wait to be perfect, they just start, they show up, they care, they create. Your future is not waiting for you; it is depending on you,” he said.
He cautioned against the misuse of social media and online platforms, urging students to choose innovation over destruction. “Will you use tech to disrupt or to develop? To design or to destroy? The choice is yours,” he said.
Also, the Father of the Day, retired Brig.-Gen. Mustapha Onoiveta, praised the Nigerian Army for its contribution to quality education in the country.
Onoiveta commended the school for promoting academic excellence among students and lauded the Army’s initiative in establishing schools within its barracks.
According to him, the creation of Army Children’s Schools and Command Schools has greatly benefited the children of military personnel, ensuring they receive quality education without having to leave the barracks.
He described the move as one of the best decisions made by past service chiefs, noting that it has provided opportunities for children of soldiers to excel academically while being nurtured within a secure and disciplined environment.
The event, marked by vibrant cultural displays, academic awards, and heartfelt moments, underscored the enduring legacy of Command Day School in shaping disciplined, responsible, and capable young leaders for Nigeria and beyond.