Chiemelie Ezeobi
The Naval Base Abuja, last Friday, concluded a week-long Junior Officers’ Development Course aimed at grooming newly appointed officers for the rigours of military service and leadership.
The training, tagged Junior Officers’ Development Course 1/2025, ran from 7 to 11 July 2025 and was designed to build on foundational knowledge gained during initial officer training.
A total of 10 officers participated in the intensive course, which combined lectures, video presentations and hands-on practical sessions.
The curriculum covered critical topics such as leadership, man management, financial management, and ethics. Officers were also drilled in both foot and sword drills — a vital part of military tradition and discipline.
The instructors were drawn from Naval Base Abuja and the Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army, offering participants a blend of naval and inter-service perspectives.
Addressing participants at the closing ceremony held on Friday, 11 July 2025, Commander Naval Base Abuja, Commodore O.E. Oladipo, urged the officers to view their Presidential Commission not just as a rank but as a responsibility to uphold national values.
“You must regard your Presidential Commission as a strategic mandate to serve the nation with honour and integrity,” Commodore Oladipo stated.
He highlighted the dynamic and evolving nature of Nigeria’s security environment, stressing the need for responsive and visionary leadership at all levels of military command.
“The complex and evolving security landscape in Nigeria demands capable and visionary leadership at all levels,” he said, adding that the Nigerian Navy’s leadership under Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, had provided a clear roadmap to follow.
“I urge you to equip yourselves with the requisite skills and to remain aligned with the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla’s Vision and Strategic Guidance in the discharge of your duties,” he concluded.
The course forms part of ongoing efforts by the Nigerian Navy to professionalise its officer cadre and ensure young officers are equipped with the tools and mindset to meet contemporary challenges on and off the battlefield.
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