The Minister of Defence Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) CFR has concluded a four – day working visit to the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA Kaduna State.
General Magashi who is the Chairman NDA Council had hectic Schedules at the Academy where he had served as Cadet Brigade Commander and later rose to the enviable position of the Commandant of the same institution between July 1998 to June 1999 before his retirement.
He hit the grand running on arrival in kaduna with pre-events brief by the NDA Commandant Maj Gen Ibrahim Manu on the 32nd Convocation Ceremony in honour of the Cadet 69 RC Postgraduate Students and Honourary Degree Awardees.
At the Convocation Ceremony where the Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo was the Special Guest of Honour, the Minister performed the Statutory tasks of Council Chairman as he declared the Assembly open for the purpose of conferring Bachelor’s Degrees on the Cadets, Postgraduate Diplomas, Masters Degrees, Doctorate Degrees and Honorary Degrees of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
By the Authority of the NDA Board, the Minister Confirmed Honorary Doctorate Degrees on four distinguished Nigerians including Major General Alwali Jauji Kazir (rtd), General Alexander Ogomudia (rtd), Chief Eric Umeofia an indigenous Industrialist and Professor Funmi Olonisakin.
While on tour of duty at the Institution known as the ‘Gateway to Generalship” General Magashi (rtd) who was supported by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, mni, the Chief of Defence Staff General Leo Irabor, (GSS), Chief of Army Staff Lt General Farouk Yahaya, (NAGS), the Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao (DFS) and the Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral AZ Gambo, represented by Rear Admiral Soloman Agada were led by the NDA Commandant Maj Gen I M Yusuf to inspect the on-going projects and some completed projects including the NDA Hall of Fame in the Academy.
The grandfinale of the beehive of activities at the NDA attended by the Defence Minister was the Passing Out Parade of the 69 RC which had the Commander-in- Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces President Muhammadu Buhari as the Reviewing Officer was also attended by Serving and Former Chiefs of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs.
The climax of the day’s events was the Commissioning Ceremony at the NDA Permanent Site Afaka, Kaduna by the Special Guest of Honour.
Mohammad Abdulkadri
Special Assistant to the Minister of Defence on Media and Publicity
6th October, 2022
