- Defence minister charges them to re-educate themselves to a better Nigeria
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Friday decorated 16 Air Commodores and 31 Group Captains, who were recently promoted to their next higher ranks of Air Vice Marshal (AVM) and Air Commodore (Air Cdre) by the Air Force Council.
The decoration ceremony, which took place at the NAF Officers’ Mess and Suites, Kado, Abuja was witnessed by a limited audience, with attendance strictly by invitation due to restrictions occasioned by COVID-19. While presiding over the ceremony.
The Minister of Defence, retired Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi, charged the newly promoted and decorated senior officers to rededicate themselves to the service of a better Nigeria.
According to the minister, “Promotion, especially to air rank, is highly desirable and motivating. It is equally rewarding, albeit very demanding. It is demanding because, as officers of air rank, the Service has offered you all manners and levels of training required to stand on your own and lead from a more holistic or strategic point of view”.
Magashi further stated that, as the newly-decorated senior officers are aware, not all of those presented for promotion were fortunate to be elevated.
He therefore reminded them that, amidst the fanfare and jubilation, they must not lose sight of the ongoing fight against terrorism/banditry and other forms of criminality, as it is their mandate to preserve national security and territorial integrity.
“Hence, it is expected that with your upliftment to the ranks of AVM and Air Cdre, you will continue to rededicate yourselves to the service of a better Nigeria”, he said.
Speaking further, the minister stated that the Federal Government, under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Buhari, has remained committed to supporting the Nigerian military.
The Federal Government, according to him, is also poised to provide the Services, and indeed other security agencies, with the necessary wherewithal in pursuance of their collective mandate of securing the Nation.
While congratulating the promoted senior officers, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, in his opening remarks, disclosed that, in the military, promotion is usually a painstaking procedure that involves the selection of the ‘best out of the best’ for elevation.
“You have all therefore been found worthy of this advancement. As such, bear in mind that you don’t get promoted only for doing your job really well but also for demonstrating potentials to do more, especially at higher levels.
“I therefore enjoin you to see your promotion as the beginning of another phase of your career in the Service, with greater responsibilities”, he said.
While thanking the C-in-C and the minister for their support to the NAF, the CAS also assured them of the unalloyed loyalty of all personnel of the Service towards meeting the expectations of the Nigerian people.
Earlier while presenting the newly promoted senior officers for decoration, the Chief of Administration (COA), AVM Aliyu Pani, noted that every elevation comes with higher and added responsibilities.
Also present at the event were the Permanent Secretary MOD, Babangida Huseini; Representatives of the Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs; Director Air Force Affairs MOD as well as other senior officers and family members of the newly promoted AVMs and Air Cdres.
