Maj. Gen. Alexander Ogomudia Is New Sheriff
Adey Oyenuga
Wednesday, April 25, 2001
Ogomudia is new army chief
* Malu, Alfa, Ombu retire
>From Madu Onuorah and
Tony Eluemunor
Abuja
THE government named new helmsmen yesterday for the nation's armed
forces to
replace the three service chiefs who, it said, have retired.
In effect, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Victor Leo Malu, Chief of
Air Staff, Vice
Marshal Ibrahim Mahmud Alfa and the Chief of Naval Staff, Commodore
Victor
Karipiri Ombu were replaced by Maj. Gen. Alexander Odareduo Ogomudia
(Army),
Air Vice and Rear Marshal Jonas Wuyep (Air) and Rear Admiral Samuel
Afolayan
(Navy).
The changes were announced by the secretary to the government, Chief
Ufot Ekaette.
He said in a terse 98-word statement: "The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.
General Malu,
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral VK Ombu and Chief of Air Staff, Vice
Marshal
IM Alfa have retired.
"In accepting their retirement notices, the President, Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo
commended their loyal services, professionalism and contributions to the
on-going
transition to democracy and wished them every success in their future
endeavours.
"The President has appointed Major General A.O. Ogomudia, GOC 1 Div.,
Kaduna,
Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral S.I. Afolayan as the Chief of Naval
Staff and Air
Vice Marshal J.D. Wuyep as the Chief of Air Staff."
Ironically, also yesterday, the president had received a delegation from
Kogi State
which came to thank him for giving two of their sons top jobs in the
government. One
of them was Vice Marshal I.M. Alfa.
Alfa and the other retired service chiefs, were invited to the State
House by 10 am
yesterday where the president thanked them for their services.
The development left Defence Headquarters officials gaping yesterday.
Rumours to
that effect started filtering in at about 1.00 p.m., and was discussed
in hushed tones as
many waited for confirmation.
Those who expected to read the face of Air Marshal Alfa as he left his
office where
he stayed briefly for the day could not get any inkling.
He walked down the stairs to his official car marked NAF 01 full of his
usual
confidence and gentle smiles. He boarded the vehicle and left
accompanied by his
usual retinue of aides.
The confirmation finally came at about 2.00pm when the statement was
received in
one of the offices in the Headquarters.
But generally there was no inkling of any major changes, although the
rumours had
been making the rounds for some months now.
Lt. Gen. Malu Leo , was on his desk at the Army Headquarters wing. He
worked all
day and left about 4.00 p.m. For Air Marshal Alfa, he reported for work.
He later left
with the Chief of Defence Staff Vice Admiral Ibrahim Ogohi to the Ship
House. They
came back to the Area 8 Boat House complex at about 11.15 am. Alfa later
left
about 2.00 pm.
Yesterday, Admiral Ogohi did not arrive at his office until about 10.15
am. Alfa came
later. Nothing new in this except that the service chiefs were said to
have gone to the
Aso Rock Presidential Villa for a meeting with President Olusegun
Obasanjo.
The new service chiefs were all members of the Nigerian Defence Academy
(NDA)
Regular Course 7. They all enlisted into the Nigerian Army in 1969.
Malu was in Course Three while Ombu and Alfa were in Course Six.
Maj. Gen. Ogomudia, appointed into the position of the Chief of Army
Staff from 1
Mechanised Division where he served as General Officer Commanding (GOC)
is the
first southerner since 1980 to hold the Army's number one position. He
is also the first
person outside the Army's traditional Infantry, Artillery and Armoured
Corps to hold
the position. He belongs to the signal corps. He was also a 'boy
soldier,' having
attended the popular Nigerian Military School Zaria.
Born on December 29, 1949 at Uzere in Isoko South Local Government Area
of
Delta State, he had his early primary education at the Local Authority
Primary School
Ughelli. In January 1964, he proceeded to the Nigerian Military School,
Zaria and
obtained the West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1968.
On completion of his secondary education, he was deployed to the defunct
Nigerian
Army Reconnaissance Corps, where he served during the Nigerian civil war
from
January to October 1969. In October 1969, he gained admission into the
regular
course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna, to undergo regular
combatant training.
On commissioning, he was deployed to the Nigerian Army Corps of Signals
(NAS)
as an adjutant of the communications Zone Signal Regiment in 1972. After
his staff
college course, he held many appointments including commanding officer
510 Signal
Regiment Kaduna (1981-1983) and later Directing Staff, both at the
Junior and
Senior Divisions of the Staff College (1983-85).
Other appointments he has held include: Command of 3 Armoured Division
Garrison
and Signals Group, Jos; Director, Telecommunications, Army Headquarters
Lagos;
Colonel Co-ordination and later Deputy Commandant Nigerian Army Signals
and
School (NASS).
In 1994-95, he attended the National War College (NWC) course 3. On
graduation
from the war college, he was appointed as Director, Joint Communications
at Defence
Headquarters. He also served as member of the university council,
University of Jos
(1985-87); member, committee of experts to the Organisation of African
Unity
(OAU) Defence Chiefs meeting, Harare Zimbabwe (1997).
His educational achievements include the Nigerian Defence Academy,
Certificate in
Education (NDACE); Diploma, Electronics/Electrical Engineering from
Obafemi
Awolowo University Ile-Ife; Bachelor's degree in Engineering in
Telecommunications
and a Masters Degree in Strategic studies from the University of Ibadan.
He has been awarded the Meritorious Service Star (MSS), Forces Service
Star
(FSS), Passed Staff College (PSC) and Fellow of the National War College
(FWC).
In December 1998, he was awarded a national honour, Commander of the
Order of
the Niger (CON).
Married with five children, his hobbies include music, boating, farming
and engineering
design. He was appointed GOC 1 Division from the National War College
where he
was a Directing Staff.
Rear Admiral Afolayan, Yoruba from Kwara State, was until the new
appointment the
Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval command. He had been
Chairman
of the defunct Armed Forces and Police (Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund.
He is of the
National War College (course 1) 1992-1993.
Air Vice Marshal Wuyep from Plateau State was until the new appointment
the Air
Officer Operations, effectively the Air Force Number Two man. He came to
the
position late last year from the Training Command of the Air Force where
he served
as Air Officer Commanding.
GuARDIAN SERVER:3 Wednesday :Text:Apoints p.1 25/04/001 stella