The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya has admonished officers and men of the Nigerian Army (NA) to justify the Federal Government’s investment in the welfare and re-equipment of the Army by delivering on their task of defending Nigeria diligently.
Gen. Yahaya spoke yesterday at 1 Division Headquarters, Kaduna State, while opening the First Commanding Officer and Transformational Leadership Workshop organised for junior and middle cadre officers of the Army.
The COAS, who was represented by the Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf, said the workshop was critical ‘considering the challenges bedeviling our nation today’.
He said: “These challenges require a unique leadership style which is embedded in the key tenets of my vision and command philosophy of professionalism, readiness, sound administration and cooperation. This workshop will prepare you as junior and middle cadre leaders to effectively accomplish your assigned missions. I, therefore, urge you to participate actively in the workshop. Gleaning from the topical issues to be discussed and calibre of experienced resource persons invited for this workshop, I am confident that the expected outcomes would be achieved.
“I am glad the target audience is the junior and middle cadre personnel of the Army, and the focus is on leadership and effective followership at the tactical level. This is a critical level of warfare where battles and engagements are planned and executed to accomplish operational level objectives. It is at this level that we have you participants, as frontline commanders, whose duty is to lead men, sustain their morale, and maintain their fighting spirit in the most lethal and demanding operational environment,” he said.
While assuring that the Army Headquarters will continue to provide the resources and guidance for its officers and men to carry out their assigned roles, Gen. Yahaya thanked President Muhammad Buhari for his invaluable support to the Army and the armed forces in general towards ensuring success in their various operations.