Former NDA Commandant Lt Gen Abel Akale has tasked the commissioned Cadets of 68 Regular Course Cadets to lead men in combat either at home or abroad.

In his remarks as the Special Guest of Honour at the luncheon organized in honour of the Passing Out Cadets of 68 Regular Course 2 in Saturday 2 October 2021 held in kaduna he said, “ From my experience over the past decades, the Nation can bestow no higher honour to you than trusting you to lead men in combat either at home or abroad”.

While congratulating them for their enduring the exhaustive training that spanned for a period of 5 years, he added, this is the kind of positive recognition you should seek to achieve and be fondly proud of for the rest of your life.

“The purpose of this luncheon is not only to wine and dine but to interact and guide your Service aspirations drawing from our wealth of experiences’ he added.

His words:” I have no doubt that you have been adequately trained and prepared for the challenge ahead by some of the very best officers the Armed Forces of Nigeria can present at this moment”.

He continued, the baton of responsibility for leading and inspiring troops which is the very essence of being a commissioned officer is just about to be handed over to you, adding it is both an immense privilege and a daunting challenge.

“ Indeed, it is no accident that you have made it this far and each of you has demonstrated the very special values that are essential for leadership, saying that if you did not possess such values, you would not be for this luncheon.”

He urged them to get as much as you can from your interactions with them to chart a better future for yourself in the military, pointing out we are rightly gathered here to recognize and celebrate your success.

According to him, the reward for the discipline, hard work and resilience that you have exhibited is the Presidential Commission into the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

His words:” As commissioned officers, you are leaders of men, pointing out that good leadership is often difficult to define, it is in a way easy to recognize, emphasing that be the good leaders that troops can risk their lives to follow even in the most dangerous circumstances.

He stressing that if you cannot attain this virtue at any leadership role; you are nothing but an individual taking an aimless walk in the park.

While appreciating the Commandant and the officers and soldiers who he noted that have worked tirelessly to groom you to this level, he disclosed that the Commandant and I share a very unique historical relationship that the time permitted by this event may not give me the space to highlight, pointing out that being in this compound gives me fond memories of the period I was the Commandant of this noble institution.
He disclosed that it would interest you to know that during the period I piloted the affairs of the Academy, your Commandant was my Military Assistant and once acted as the Academy Adjutant.
He noted that need not to tell you the close relationship between the Commandant and his Military Assistant or the Academy Adjutant as the case may be, adding it was indeed my pleasure to have worked with the gentleman senior officer in the capacities.

He then noted that other senior serving officers including the retired ones have endured the path you have just undertaken as cadets and the Service life you are yet to experience.