UPDATED: Service Chiefs and IGPs - Historical List { STAR INFO: How We Got to these Confusing Service Chief-doms {Re Past Service Chiefs of Nigeria {Re: - Some Pictures....{Re: STAR INFO: Jonathan appoints new Police boss, DG SSS and Service Chiefs
Mobolaji ALUKO
The new service chiefs are:
Air Marshal Oluseyi O. Peterin (Chief of Defence Staff CDS),
Air Vice Marshal M.D Umar (Chief of Air Staff CAS),
Major General O. Azubuike Ihejirika (Chief of Army Staff COAS),
Rear Admiral Ola S Ibrahim (Chief of Naval Staff CNS),
The Chief of Defence Staff is the highest ranking military officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces.It is occupied by the most senior commissioned officer appointed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. He is Chief Adviser to the President on military policy.
The Chief of Defence Staff reports to the commander-in-Chief with administrative supervision of the Honourable Minister of Defence. It is the duty and responsibility of the CDS to formulate and execute policies, programmes towards the highest attainment of National Security and operational competence of the Armed Forces namely; the Army, Navy and Air Force. The CDS is assisted by the Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force Staff.
----------------
List of CDS [incomplete list]
Lt Gen Ipoola Alani Akinrinade CFR FSS COAS Oct 1979 - Apr 1980
Lt Gen Gibson Jalo CFR FSS JSS COAS Apr 1980 - Oct 1981
........................
General Abdulsalami Abubakar (1993-1998)
Admiral Ibrahim Ogohi (1999-2003)
Major General Alexander Ogomudia (2003-2006)
General Martin Luther Agwai (June 2006-May 25, 2007)
General Owoye Andrew Azazi (May 25, 2007-August 20, 2008)
Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike (August 20, 2008-September 8, 2010)
Air Marshal O.O Peterin (September 2010 - date)
---------
Some Previous Miscellaneous Service Positions (may have had other positions)
*Chairman Joint Chiefs (Lt. Gen Domkat Y Bali, General Sani Abacha)
*Chief of Staff, Nigerian Military Forces (Henry Babafemi Ogundipe)
*Chief Staff Supreme HQ (Henry Ogundipe, Ekpo, Akinwale Wey, Olusegun Obasanjo, Musa Yar Adua, Tunde Idiagbon 1983-1985),
*Chief of General Staff (Ebitu Ukiwe 1985-1987, Augustus Aikhomu, Oladipo Diya, Mike Akhigbe)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The following have served as Chief of the Air Staff, the senior appointment in the Nigerian Air Force:[3]
Year Rank Name
1963 - 1965 Colonel Gerhard Kahtz
1965 - 1966 Colonel W Timming
1966 - 1967 Lieutenant Colonel George T Kurubo
1967 - 1969 Colonel Shittu Alao
1969 - 1975 Brigadier Emmanuel E Ikwue
1975 - 1980 Air Vice-Marshal John Nmadu Yisa-Doko
1980 - 1983 Air Vice-Marshal Abdullahi Dominic Bello
1983 - 1990 Air Marshal Ibrahim Mahmud Alfa
1990 - 1992 Air Vice-Marshal Nuraini Yussuff
1992 - 1993 Air Marshal Akin Dada
1993 - 1996 Air Vice Marshal Femi John Femi
1996 - 1998 Air Marshal Nsikak-Abasi Essien Eduok
1999 - 2001 Air Marshal Isaac Alfa
2001 - 2006 Air Marshal Jonah Wuyep
2006 - 2008 Air Marshal Paul Dike
2008 - 2010 Air Marshal oluseyi Petinrin
2010 - date Air Marshal M.D. Umar
------------------------------------------------
Chiefs of the Nigerian Army (COAS Chief of Army Staff equivalent) {or Chief of Army, Staff COS(A)]
Following is a chronological list of officers holding the position of General Officer Commanding (GOC) or Chief of Army Staff (COAS).[15]
Officer Title Period Served Remarks
Major-General Foster GOC
Major General Sir Christopher Welby-Everard GOC 1963–1965 Last British GOC
Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi GOC 1965–1966 Later military ruler ("Supreme Commander")
Lt Col Yakubu Gowon FSS COAS Jan 1966 - Jul 1966 [Really COS(A)] Later military ruler ("Commander-in-Chief")
Maj Gen Hassan Katsina rcds psc COAS May 1968 - Jan 1971 [Really COS(A)]
Maj Gen David Ejoor COAS Jan 1971 - Jul 1975 [Really COS(A)]
Lt Gen Theophilus Danjuma COAS Jul 1975 - Oct 1979
Lt Gen Ipoola Alani Akinrinade CFR FSS COAS Oct 1979 - Apr 1980 nil
Lt Gen Gibson Jalo CFR FSS JSS COAS Apr 1980 - Oct 1981
Lt Gen Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi CFR FSS COAS Oct 1981 - Oct 1983
Maj Gen Ibrahim Babangida COAS Jan 1984 - Aug 1985 Later military ruler
Lt Gen Sani Abacha GCON, DSS mni COAS Aug 1985 - Aug 1990 Later military ruler
Lt Gen Salihu Ibrahim FSS FHWC COAS Aug 1990 - Sep 1993
Lt Gen Aliyu Gusau Mohammed DSS rcds COAS Sep 1993 - Nov 1993
Maj Gen Chris Alli CRG DSS ndc psc(+) COAS Nov 1993 - Aug 1994??
Maj Gen Alwali Kazir DSS Usawc psc(+) COAS Aug 1994 - Mar 1996
Lt Gen Victor Malu DSS mni fwc psc COAS May 1999 - Apr 2001
Lt Gen Alexander Ogomudia COAS Apr 2001 - Jun 2003 Later Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
Lt Gen Martin Luther Agwai COAS Jun 2003 Jun 2006 Later Commander of the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur .
Lt Gen Owoye Andrew Azazi COAS 1 June 2006 - May 2007 Later Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
Lt Gen Luka Nyeh Yusuf CFR GSS GPP DSO psc(+) fwc Msc COAS Jun 2007 - Aug 2008
Lt Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau CFR GSS psc ndc fwc(+) PhD COAS Aug 2008 - September 2010
Major General O. Azubuike Ihejirika September 2010 - date
----------------------------
http://esigieozoya.tripod.com/pastcns.htm
Chief of Naval Staff (complete list)
Captain Francis William Skutil (1956-58)
Commodore AR Kennedy (1958-1964)
Vice Admiral Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey, OFR FSS (1964-1973?)
Rear Admiral Nelson Bossman Soroh, MFR FSS idc (January 1973-July 1975)
Vice Admiral Michael Ayinde Adelanwa GCON FSS rcds (July 1975-April 1980)
Vice Admiral A Akin Aduwo CFR FSS FBIM (April 1980 – December 1983)
Admiral Augustus Aikhomu 1984-1986
Vice-Admiral Muftau Adegoke Babatunde Elegbede (1987-1990)
Admiral Murtala Nyako 1990-1992
Vice Admiral Preston Omatsola 1992-1993
Rear-Admiral Suleiman Seidu 1993-1994
Rear-Admiral Allison Madueke 1994
Vice-Admiral Mike Akhigbe 1994-1998
Vice-Admiral Jubrila Ayinla (1998-1999)
Vice Admiral Victor Kari Ombu (July 1999 - April 2001)
Vice Admiral Samuel Olajide AFOLAYAN DSS psc+ fwc (2001 - July 2005)
Vice Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye (July 2005- October 7, 2008)
Vice-Admiral Ishaya Ibrahim (October 2008 - September 2010)
Rear-Admiral Ola S Ibrahim (September 2010 - date)
______________________________
Inspectors-General of the Nigerian Police (indigenous)
Name Period of office
Louis Edet 1964–1966
Kam Salem 1966–1975
Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu 1975–1979
Adamu Suleiman 1979–1981
Sunday Adewusi 1981–1983
Etim Inyang 1985–1986
Muhammadu Gambo-Jimeta 1986–1990
Aliyu Atta 1990–1993
Ibrahim Coomassie 1993–1999
Musiliu Smith 1999–2002
Mustafa Adebayo Balogun March 2002 – January 2005
Sunday Ehindero 2005–2007
Mike Mbama Okiro 2007–2009
Ogbonna Okechukwu Onovo 2009 - 2010
Hafiz Ringim 2010 - date
Nigeria Constitutional and Political FrameworkSection 197 of the 1979 constitution provides for establishing, equipping, and maintaining an army, a navy, an air force, and "any other branches of the armed forces" deemed necessary for defending against external aggression, for ensuring territorial integrity and security of the nation's land, sea, and airspace, for suppressing insurrection and aiding civil authorities when so directed by the president, and for performing other such functions as may be legally prescribed. The president, as commander in chief of the armed forces, is empowered to determine their operational use and to appoint the chief of the Defence Staff and the heads of the military services. Section 265 authorizes the president, subject to parliamentary action under certain conditions, to issue a proclamation of emergency only when the federation is at war, in imminent danger of invasion or involvement in war, in cases of natural disaster or an actual or imminent breakdown of public order and public safety.
The regime of General Muhammadu Buhari (which held power for twenty months from December 1983), in Decree Number 1, suspended and modified parts of the constitution to empower the FMG to issue decrees signed with the force of law. It also vested all executive authority in the head of the FMG, who exercised it in consultation with the Supreme Military Council (SMC). The SMC was composed of the head of the FMG as president of the council; the chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters; the minister of defense; the chiefs of the army, navy, and air staffs; the general officers commanding the four army divisions; the commander of the Artillery Command; the attorney general; the inspector general of police; six other appointed senior military officers; and other members that the SMC might appoint. Its principal functions were to determine national policy on major issues and on all constitutional and national security matters and to appoint and to ratify appointments of top government, military, and public officials.
A National Council of State, composed essentially of the same officials as the SMC except for the line military commanders, was also established. Finally, Decree Number 1 provided for a National Defence and Security Council which, under the direction of the SMC, was responsible for matters of defense and public security. This council, which replaced the National Defence Council of the Second Republic, had as its members the head of the FMG as chairman; the chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters; the ministers of defense, of external affairs, and of internal affairs; the three service chiefs of staff; the director general of the Nigerian Security Organization; the inspector general of police; and others appointed ad hoc by the head of the FMG.
After ousting Buhari on August 27, 1985, General Babangida issued Decree Number 17, amending Decree Number 1 to establish the institutional basis of his regime. In place of the title head of the FMG, Babangida assumed the new dual title of president and commander in chief of the armed forces. A chief of General Staff, General Staff Headquarters, replaced the chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters; the minister of defense was also chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff. Buhari's Federal Executive Council was replaced by the Council of Ministers. The Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC), which replaced the SMC, originally had an enlarged allservice membership of nearly thirty, consisting of the same functional posts as the SMC plus the flag officers commanding of the Eastern Naval Command, the Western Naval Command, and the Naval Training Command; the air officers commanding the Training, Tactical Air, and Logistics commands; and twelve other appointed senior military officers. In February 1989, however, Babangida reconstituted the AFRC with only nineteen members. The National Council of State (thus renamed) and the National Defence Council and National Security Council, separated into two bodies, were retained. In the December 1989 government reorganization, Babangida assumed the defense portfolio but assigned the functions of chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, to the chief of army staff (see fig. 14). In September 1990, the Supreme Headquarters was replaced by the Defence Headquarters, and largescale reassignments and retirements of senior army, navy, and air force officers occurred. Babangida simultaneously relinquished the post of minister of defense to General Sanni Abacha, who also assumed the new position of chief of Defence Staff.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
The new service chiefs are:
Air Marshal O.O Petinrin (chief of defence staff),
Air Vice Marshal M.D Umar (Chief of Air staff),
Major General O. A. Ihejirika (chief of army staff),
Rear Admiral O.S Ibrahim (Chief of Naval Staff),The Chief of Defence Staff is the highest ranking military officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces.It is occupied by the most senior commissioned officer appointed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.The Chief of Defence Staff reports to the commander-in-Chief with administrative supervision of the Honourable Minister of Defence. It is the duty and responsibility of the CDS to formulate and execute policies, programmes towards the highest attainment of National Security and operational competence of the Armed Forces namely; the Army, Navy and Air Force. The CDS is assisted by the Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force Staff.[1]
----------------VANGUARDNew Inspector-General of Police, Service ChiefsStories by Kingsley Omonobi
ABUJA—Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone 9, Umuahia, Afiz Ringim, the new Inspector-General of Police, who was posted to the zone on August, 28, 2009, was at one time Commissioner of Police, Adamawa State.He was the Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State, when former governor DSP Alamieyesiegha was removed through an impeachment process following allegations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of corruption.
Afiz Ringim was also one time Commissioner of Police in charge of Border Patrol.
When Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan became governor in Alamieyesiegha’s absence, Afiz Ringim continued as Police Commissioner until his promotion to the rank of AIG after which he got posted to higher responsibility.AIG Ringim, who hails from Ringim town in Jigawa State, was born April 1, 1953. He enlisted into the force on July 30, 1977 and his date of retirements as contained in Police records, reads March 1, 2012.
New Service Chiefs
Air Marshal Petinrin
The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, who hails from Osun State, was the immediate past Chief of Air Staff. He was appointed CAS by former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.He is credited with the organisation of the first indigenous Air Expo in the whole of West Africa. Aside the Air Expo, Petirin has made sure that rehabilitation of NAF equipment, including aircraft, were carried out in the country.
He takes over from Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike.
Major-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika
The new Chief of Army Staff is presently the Chief of Logistics at the Defence headquarters. He was one time General Officer Commanding, 81 Division of the Nigeria Army, Lagos. He was also the Director of Engineering at Defence Headquarters.He takes over from Lt.-General Abdurahman Bello Dambazau.
Rear Admiral Ola Ibrahim
The new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ola Saad Ibrahim, who hails from Kwara State, was the immediate Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command.A Course 17 intake of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Rear Admiral Ibrahim who was promoted in 2006, was also at one time the Flag officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command and Chief of Administration at Naval Headquarters.
He takes over from Vice Admiral Ishaya Iko Ibrahim.
Air Marshal Mohammed Umar
The new Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Umar, was the immediate Air Officer Commanding Training Command, TC, Kaduna.He was at one time, Director of Operations at NAF headquarters. The Air Force officer is credited with flying over 700 hours.
He takes over from Air Marshal Petinrin.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
List of CDSGeneral Sani Abacha (1990-1993)
General Abdulsalami Abubakar (1993-1998)
Admiral Ibrahim Ogohi (1999-2003)
Major General Alexander Ogomudia (2003-2006)
General Martin Luther Agwai (June 2006-May 25, 2007)
General Owoye Andrew Azazi (May 25, 2007-August 20, 2008)
Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike (August 20, 2008-September 8, 2010)Air Marshal Oluseyi O. Petinrin
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The following have served as Chief of the Air Staff, the senior appointment in the Nigerian Air Force:[3]Year Rank Name
1963 - 1965 Colonel Gerhard Kahtz
1965 - 1966 Colonel W Timming
1966 - 1967 Lieutenant Colonel George T Kurubo
1967 - 1969 Colonel Shittu Alao
1969 - 1975 Brigadier Emmanuel E Ikwue
1975 - 1980 Air Vice-Marshal John Nmadu Yisa-Doko
1980 - 1983 Air Vice-Marshal Abdullahi Dominic Bello
1983 - 1990 Air Marshal Ibrahim Mahmud Alfa
1990 - 1992 Air Vice-Marshal Nuraini Yussuff
1992 - 1993 Air Marshal Akin Dada
1993 - 1996 Air Vice Marshal Femi John Femi
1996 - 1998 Air Marshal Nsikak-Abasi Essien Eduok
1999 - 2001 Air Marshal Isaac Alfa
2001 - 2006 Air Marshal Jonah Wuyep
2006 - 2008 Air Marshal Paul Dike
2008 - 2010 Air Marshal Petinrin2010 Air Marsha Mohammed Umar------------------------------------------------Chiefs of the Nigerian ArmyFollowing is a chronological list of officers holding the position of General Officer Commanding (GOC) or Chief of Army Staff (COAS).[15]Officer Title Period Served Remarks
Maj-Gen. Kenneth G. Exham 1956–1960 Duke of Wellington's Regiment
Major-General Foster GOC
Major General Sir Christopher Welby-Everard GOC 1963–1965 Last British GOC
Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi GOC 1965–1966 Later military ruler
Lt Col Yakubu Gowon FSS COAS Jan 1966 - Jul 1966 Later military ruler
Lt Col Joseph Akahan OFR FSS COAS May 1967 - May 1968
Maj Gen Hassan Katsina rcds psc COAS May 1968 - Jan 1971
Maj Gen David Ejoor COAS Jan 1971 - Jul 1975
Lt Gen Theophilus Danjuma COAS Jul 1975 - Oct 1979
Lt Gen Ipoola Alani Akinrinade CFR FSS COAS Oct 1979 - Apr 1980 nil
Lt Gen Gibson Jalo CFR FSS JSS COAS Apr 1980 - Oct 1981
Lt Gen Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi CFR FSS COAS Oct 1981 - Oct 1983
Maj Gen Ibrahim Babangida COAS Jan 1984 - Aug 1985 Later military ruler
Lt Gen Sani Abacha GCON, DSS mni COAS Aug 1985 - Aug 1990 Later military ruler
Lt Gen Salihu Ibrahim FSS FHWC COAS Aug 1990 - Sep 1993
Lt Gen Aliyu Gusau Mohammed DSS rcds COAS Sep 1993 - Nov 1993
Maj Gen Chris Alli CRG DSS ndc psc(+) COAS Nov 1993 - Aug 1994??
Maj Gen Alwali Kazir DSS Usawc psc(+) COAS Aug 1994 - Mar 1996
Lt Gen Victor Malu DSS mni fwc psc COAS May 1999 - Apr 2001
Lt Gen Alexander Ogomudia COAS Apr 2001 - Jun 2003 Later Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
Lt Gen Martin Luther Agwai COAS Jun 2003 Jun 2006 Later Commander of the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur.
Lt Gen Owoye Andrew Azazi COAS 1 June 2006 - May 2007 Later Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
Lt Gen Luka Nyeh Yusuf CFR GSS GPP DSO psc(+) fwc Msc COAS Jun 2007 - Aug 2008
Lt Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau CFR GSS psc ndc fwc(+) PhD COAS Aug 2008 Date Dambazau's previous service includes time with 146 Infantry Battalion as a junior officer, command of 1 Provost Group and 3 Provost Group, and command of 2 Division.[16]Maj.-General Azubuike Ihejirika----------------------------Chief of Naval Staff (incomplete list)
Vice-Admiral Mike Akhigbe
Jubrila Ayinla
........................Vice Admiral Victor Ombu,Rear Admiral Samuel AfolayanVice Admiral Ganiyu AdekeyeVice-Admiral Ishaya (Isaiah?) Iko Ibrahim
Rear-Admiral Ola Sahad Ibrahim___________________________________________________________________________________________________________On Wed, Sep 8, 2010 at 3:17 PM, Mobolaji ALUKO <alu...@gmail.com> wrote:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
MAJOR GENERAL OA IHEJIRIKA ![E-mail]()
![Image]( "Image")
NAME: Major General Onyeabo Azubike Ihejirika
DATE OF BIRTH: 13 Feb 1956.
PLACE OF BIRTH: Ovim, Isuikwuato LGA, Abia State
DATE OF COMMISSION: 17 Dec 1977
CADETSHIP TRAINING: NDA Regular Course 18
AWARDS:
a. Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award (CCA) for excellence
performance in assigned task in 1986.
b. Fellow Nigerian Institute of Quantity Survey (fniqs) in 2008
LAST APPOINTMENT: Chief of Defence Logistics, Defence Headquarters
NOTE: Details later
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin was born on 19 January 1955 at Ipetu-Ijesa in Ori-Ade Local Government Area of Osun State. He did his primary school in Osun State and his secondary education at Federal Government College, Sokoto in Sokoto State before he started his military career. Air Marshal Petinrin enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 1974 as a member of Regular Course 16 and was comminssioned Pilot Officer on 3 January 1977.
Air Marshal Petinrin has attended several courses since he joined the Nigerian Air Force. From 1977 to 1978 he attended the Undergraduate Pilot Training in Laughlin Air Force Base and Fighter Pilot Lead-in-Training at Maxwell Air Force Base both in the United States of America where he qualified as a fighter pilot.
................____________________________________________________________________________________________On Wed, Sep 8, 2010 at 12:51 PM, Mobolaji ALUKO <alu...@gmail.com> wrote:
Jonathan appoints new Police boss, DG SSS and Service ChiefsNigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has replaced the Inspector General of Police, Ogbonnaya Onovo, the Director General of the
State Security Services, SSS and the Services Chiefs.Hafiz A. Ringim has been named as the acting Inspector General of Police, while Ita Ekpeyong is the new Director General of the State
Security Services (SSS), replacing A.A Gadzama.The new service chiefs are: Air Marshal O.O Peterin (chief of defence staff), Major General O. A. Ihejirika (chief of army staff), Rear Admiral
O.S Ibrahim (Chief of Naval Staff), Air Vice Marshal M.D Umar (Chief of Air staff),The president spokesman, Ima Niboro said in a statement issued in Abuja that the appointment takes immediate effect, but subject to the
approval of the National Assembly and the Armed Forces Act, section 18.
----- IN PREVIOUS NEWS.......No coup scare, says Defence Headquarters
… As Presidency explains shake up in military
By LUCKY NWANKWERE, and MOLLY KILETE, AbujaWednesday, August 1, 2007
The Presidency yesterday said there was no ulterior motive behind the retirement of certain senior officers of the Armed Forces, describing it as purely a routine matter.This is even as the Defence Headquarters assured Nigerians that there was no iota of truth in the report about a coup scare in the country and asked them to discard speculations by some unscrupulous people, who are out to rubbish the Nigerian military and give it a bad name.Reacting to newspaper reports yesterday to the effect that President Umaru Yar’Adua had ordered the retirement of some senior military officers, it said those affected were due for retirement having spent the stipulated 35 years in service. Already, four new General Officers Commanding (GOCs) have been appointed following the gale of retirement that has hit the military.In a statement signed by presidential spokesman, Mr. Segun Adeniyi and made available to the State House correspondents in Abuja , it said the decision on the retirement of the affected military officers was taken at a duly convened Army Council meeting in June this year, stressing that most of the officers affected were commissioned on March 1, 1972.The Presidency also explained that the redeployment of other officers was borne out of the need to fill the vacant positions arising from the retirements, saying it would be wrong to ascribe any other motive to what it described as a routine movement of personnel in the Armed Forces.Director of Defence Information(DDI), Colonel. Mohammed Yusuf, while speaking about the alleged coup scare as reported by some foreign media, said that there was no iota of truth in the reports.A foreign media was said to have reported and attributed the recent retirement from service of some senior military officers as a result of a coup scare in which they were alleged to have been involved.Yusuf described the retirement of the affected officers from service as a normal process in the military, saying that as spokesman of the Defence Headquarters, he is in a better position to know if there was a coup as such matters are not kept secret in the military.
“ I’m not aware of any coup scare. If there is coup attempt and some people are arrested, should they not be in detention? I’m not aware of any coup scare,” he said.Yusuf also debunked the allegations that 40 generals were affected in the retirement exercise as reported by a local medium, saying that there was no record to show the huge number. He explained that what took place was a few postings, which did not mean that those involved had been retired from service, adding that the posting and retirement of military officers followed the conditions of service of officers.In a related development, the four new GOCs were appointed following the approval of President Umaru Musa Yaradua, who is also the commander in chief of the Armed Forces.Similarly, a new Chief Of Policy and Plans, military secretary, Director of Military Intelligence, Provost Marshall as well as a new Guards Brigade Commander have been appointed.
Under the new arrangement which takes effect August 20, Major-General Moses Obi, formally of the Defence Head Quarters, Abuja, is now GOC, 1 Division, Kaduna, while the former GOC, General Lawrence Jokotola moves to the Training And Doctrine Command(TRADOC), as the new commander, while General Dambazau, formally of the Department of Army Standards and Evaluation(DASE), Abuja, is now the GOC, 2 Division, Ibadan, while the former GOC, General Saleh, moves to the Defence Head Quarters.Major-General Akinyemi, is to take over as GOC, 3 Division, Jos, while the former GOC, Gen. Oshanupin moves to the National War College(NWC), Abuja as deputy commandant, while Major-General A.T. Ibrahim, who until the new appointment the was acting Chief of Defence Research and Develpoment at the DHQ, is to take over as GOC, 82 Division Enugu from General Usman Atawodi, who is now the new military Secretary.However, major-General Azubuike Ihejirika, is to remain as GOC 81 Division, Lagos , until December, when 81 division will cease to be a division and return to its old status of Garrison.
Major-General Harrison Adoga who until the new appointment, Commander Army Head Quarters Garrison, is now the Commandant, Nigerian Army Infantry Centre and School(ICS), Jaji, while the former commandant, Gen. Yaduma has been moved to the DHQ as Chief of defence operations, while Brigadier-General Role, deputy commandant of the NWC, is now the commander Army Head Quarters Garrison. Gen Asokogun is now commandant, Nigeria Army Amour Corp and School
Major-General Ekwo, who until the new posting was the Chief Of Logistics(COLOG) at the Army Head Quarters, Abuja, is now the Chief Of Policy and Plans(COPP), while General Okunbor, former Provost Marshall of the Nigerian Army, is to take over as COLOG. Also, Brigadier-General Jibrin of the Nigerian Army School of Military Police, Zaria , is now the new Provost Marshall, while Brigadier-General Chong, is the new Director of Military Intelligence(DMI), with the former DMI, Gen. Adekegba Ovo now moved to the DHQ as Director of procurement.Major-General Ike, who until the new appointment was in charge of the Nigerian Army Signal Corps And School, is now to head the Department of Army Standards And Evaluation, while Gen. Ogunedo takes over as the new commandant.
Also on the list, is Major-General Saeed, who is now the new Chief of Defence Intelligence(CDI), while the former Chief, Major-General Haladu Giwa is to proceed on retirement. Brigadier-General Monguno, is the new Commander, Guards Brigade, while the former Commander, Brigadier-General Oshoboiki, is to move to TRADOC as a director, with Brigadier-General Atiegoba, taking charge of the Nigerian Army College of Logistics.Meanwhile, Major-General Chikwe and Brigadier-General Lartey remain as Chief Of Army Operations(COPSA) and Director Army Finance and Accounts(DAFA), respectively.Major-General Yerima, is still commandant, Nigeria Army Ordinance Corps and School, while General Samuel, former Military Secretary is to take over as Commandant, Nigerian Army Corps of artillery Corp and school, while the former commandant, Gen. Tache is to move to the DHQ, as Director of peace keeping operations. Also Gen. Wukari, is now commandant, Nigeria Army Corps of supply and transport and school.While the appointment of the officers is being greeted with jubilation in some quarters, that of the retirement of about 12 others is being perceived as witch hunting as some of the officers are said not to have reached their mandatory number of years in service.______________._,_.___See event pictures and info of the NIDO Canada World Conference, Ottawa 2010 at http://www.AfriCanVIP.com or http://www.NIDOCanada.org
SEE YOU IN TORONTO IN 2011
Nigerians In Diaspora Organization. Our mission is to promote the spirit of patriotism, networking, and cooperation among Nigerians in Diaspora....
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Pius Adesanmi
http://saharareporters.com/column/looting-nollywood-pius-adesanmi Looting Nollywood
By Pius Adesanmi
Last week, I travelled from my base in Ottawa, Canada to Johannesburg, South Africa. It was one of those dreadfully long trips that I have grudgingly come to accept over the years as an inevitable feature of my professional calling as a peripatetic man of culture. As I boarded the first flight in Ottawa, I made a mental map – as I always do – of how to fill up the void of time. I had an hour ahead of me to Washington DC, nine hours from Washington to Dakar, and another nine hours from Dakar to Johannesburg.
Ain’t funny! Add to the distance the fact of not knowing how and where the pendulum of the international writing prize that was taking me to South Africa would swing. Only the thought that I would reunite with my bosom friend, Temitope Oni, a successful medical doctor in Durban whom I hadn’t seen since the end of our Titcombe college days in 1987, made the distance bearable. Tope Oni would redefine the meaning of brotherhood, human bond, and loyalty for me in ways that I am still too positively emotional to talk about. He is a subject of another essay. Another day.
Suffice it to say that in such long-flight situations, I usually oscillate between nap time, reading time, writing time (my laptop’s battery allowing), movie time, and alcohol time – with strong emphasis on the last. This time, I wish I had skipped movie time and concentrated on alcohol time. That would have spared me the agony and anger that did not abate until I landed in Johannesburg. My problem started when I picked up my assigned copy of the August 2010 edition of Sawubona, the in-flight magazine of South African Airways, to check the menu of movies.
As is the case with in-flight magazines, the movies and their summaries were classified under all kinds of genres and sub-headings. I noticed a subheading for South African movies and smiled in satisfaction. I had just found a reason to avoid Hollywood movies! I would watch all six South African movies in the package. At an average of two hours per movie, that should eat up enough hours of the trip to avoid boredom. For a second, my mind went to Goodluck Jonathan’s fleet of nine presidential jets and uncountable helicopters and I chuckled, half-wishing that our rulers would at least have the decency to have an in-flight magazine proudly advertising Nigerian movies to the President and the usual suspects who burn our money on trips with him. But that would be expecting too much from those fellows. They are usually not into such minor issues as promoting brand Nigeria unless there are contracts to be awarded.
Two titles in the South African movies rubric of Sawubona immediately got my attention. Call it the itch of familiarity or the whiff of home. Call it the eponymous stirrings of recognition. Something about those titles gave me the sensation of a Molue conductor whose senses of smell and taste rev into action within a one-kilometre radius of a paraga seller: “My Last Ambition” and “Endless Tears”. Those titles screamed Nollywood, oozed Nigeria. I mean, if a movie’s got vaulting ambition in its title, we are either talking Kanayo O. Kanayo or Jim Iyke, right? If a movie says the tears are endless, there’s got to be Stella Damasus somewhere around the corner, right? If it is love with a Harlequinish tinge, you expect Ramseh Nouah, Mike Ezuruonye, Van Vicker, Majid Michel, Desmond Elliot, Ini Edo, Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade Ekehinde, Chika Ike, Oge Okoye, Stephanie Okereke, and Uche Jombo, right?
I made a mental note that I did not know that our South African friends had caught the bug of Nollywood-sounding titles. Then I watched the first movie, watched the second movie, as if in a trance, unable to believe what was going on right before my eyes. They were 100% Nollywood films alright. Not just Nollywood films. Original Nollywood flicks of the “Nnamdi Azikiwe street, Lagos and Iweka Road, Onitsha” variety. What the heck were they doing in the South African films rubric of Sawubona and being, in fact, introduced to the Washington-Dakar-Johannesburg passengers of South African Airways as part of that airline’s combo of South African films? My unease and displeasure were further compounded by the fact Hollywood and Bollywood films got their due recognition of apposite categorization in the same magazine.
Of course I have spent too much time in the scholarship and politics of cultural appropriation and mainstreaming to dismiss what was going on as a simple case of ignorance on the part of the publishers of Sawubona. It just isn’t possible that the publishers and editors of a magazine of Sawubona’s standing wouldn’t know the difference between South African films and Nollywood. I also was not of a sufficiently generous disposition to heap all the blame on that innocent and hard-working apprentice called Printer’s Devil as we always do in Nigeria. I decided to draw very heavy conclusions from that instance of the misclassification of two Nollywood films. After all, between South Africa and Nigeria, nothing is ever innocent. There are always patrimonial egos at work, endlessly playing out in the form of a will to continental dominance, especially in the arenas of politics and culture. The two countries are locked in enactments of identity underwritten by the desire of each to be Africa’s synecdoche. In the context of the pathologies shaping relations between Nigeria and South Africa, I couldn’t even put it beyond our friends from Nelson Mandela’s kraal to expect the Nigerian cultural establishment to be grateful that they considered two Nollywood films worthy of classification as South African films and, above all, worthy to be shown on the trans-Atlantic flights of the continent’s most prestigious national carrier.
Were the South Africans to go this arifin (contempt) route, they would be well within their rights. Sadly. I don’t think we have mouth to talk – pardon that Yoru-English, it conveys the seriousness of the situation. After all, if the obtuse characters running your country prefer to organize a harem of nine presidential jets for themselves after running Nigeria Airways aground (Ethiopian Airlines has a fleet of ten jets for long range passenger services), who are you to complain if the South Africans decide to “help” by showing your films in their own national carrier albeit with a flagrant, in-your-face gesture of cultural appropriation?
The August 2010 edition of Sawubona that is at issue here was of course also in service on the Lagos-Johannesburg route of South African Airways throughout the month of August. Think of how many Nigerian state governors, senators, federal reps, and ministers would have flown South African Airways to Johannesburg in their endless money-guzzling jamborees to that country – where they learn absolutely nothing. Think of how many of them go a-partying in Lucky Igbinedion’s mansion in Johannesburg (by the way, has Dimeji Bankole been on one of his ill-reflected jamborees to that location lately?). None of them noticed that Nollywood flicks were being advertised as South African movies in Sawubona? No, not one? Imagine what would have happened if Nigeria had a national carrier with an in-flight magazine proudly displaying Zola Maseko’s fantastic flick, “A Drink in the Passage”, as a Nigerian movie! There would have been hell to
pay. South African officials in Nigeria would have claimed that the sky was falling. You see, they come from a part of the world where officials of the state understand the importance of culture.
The antipathy to Nollywood and its considerable powers of cultural inflection that enabled this instance of appropriation by Sawubona is, of course, not limited to Nigeria’s obtuse rulers and the political élite. The Nigerian public’s engagement of Nollywood – at a certain informed level of national cultural conversation - is often so massively overshadowed by ubiquitous complaints of mediocrity that I have been given to think that Nollywood has no greater enemy than the Nigerian culturati. Much of the endless prattle about mediocrity – underdeveloped plot and storylines, platitudinous acting – is not borne of a constructive urge. The prattle of course ignores the fact that, unlike Hollywood and Bollywood, Nollywood arose singularly from the genius of the Nigerian people and the devastating grind of the Nigerian street, in spite of the Nigerian establishment and not because of it. The Nigerian state is always an impediment to the
genius of the Nigerian people. You build Nigeria against all the odds thrown in your path by our friends in Abuja.
To have given the world the third largest movie industry right out of the poverty of Nnamdi Azikiwe street and Iweka road, with zero support from the looters in Abuja; to have created the greatest single cultural force that has remapped ways of seeing the continent (apologies to John Berger) in a manner not seen since Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart reshaped ways of seeing Africa in the 1960s; to have opened up avenues for global black diasporic communities to plug into the continent via the power of the image – people no longer have to wait to die one bright morning in the Caribbean for their souls to fly away home to Guinée; Nollywood brings that ancestral home to them while alive; to have inflected and changed the nature of transnational black politics while editing films in rundown shacks illuminated by “oju ti NEPA” (thanks to Dr Ola Kassim of Toronto for bringing this device to my attention); this is what Nollywood has
given the world out of nothing. The South Africans certainly know what they are appropriating. And why. |
Moses Ebe Ochonu
I had a conversation with Kenyan literary critic and Professor of Literature at the University of the Witwatersrand, James Ogude, several years ago in which he told of how his black South African students who were traveling to another African country would say they were traveling to Africa. He would promptly ask them which continent there were in. Go figure!
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