By Mohammed Tijjani

The Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Maj.-Gen. John Ochai, has inaugurated the Queen Amina of Zazzau statute at the academy in Kaduna.

Ochai also inaugurated the Nigerian Defence Academy Officers Wives Association Secretariat and two vehicles.

He also inaugurated three four-bedroom flats each for senior staff of the academy.

The commandant said, “Queen Amina of Zazzau, who was a warrior Queen, lived in this part of the country in the 15th century.”

Ochai said that her statute was put in place to motivate the cadets to put in their best and to imbibe some of the qualities with which she was known for.

He said and as it was recorded in the Kano Chronicles and also corroborated by oral tradition that she embodied leadership, courage, integrity, determination and bravery.

Ochai said, “These are the qualities we want our characters to have.

“The significance is that we are telling our own story in this part of Africa that there was a time there was a great queen in an era where when in other parts of the world bravery and warriorship was still a masculine affair.

“So, Africa has had its great women before colonialism came, so it’s not a new thing we had gender equality and we had women that have held their own.

“I must state here that the Queen Amina of Zazzau at the height of her reign occupied a territory of about 400,000 kilometres square which is about 40 to 50 per cent of the territory we now call Nigeria.

“So, you can imagine the magnitude of the area she controlled, and this was as a result of her determination and leadership.”

The commandant, therefore, urged the cadets to imbibe those qualities, adding, “that’s why we are honouring her.

 “As you are aware, the Nigerian Defence Academy is located in Kaduna State and it’s part of the territory she once controlled and holds sway and that’s why we are recognising her as a warrior as well as a female.

“Today, we inaugurated the Nigerian Defence Academy Officers Wives Association Secretariat which was before now in the old academy’s site at the Ribadu Cantonment,” Ochai said.

He said the event marked a significant step in moving the officers’ wives and their activities to the permanent site.

Ochai added, “We also inaugurated three flats, four bedroom each for senior staff of the academy and the aim of this is to ensure that their welfare is well taken care of and that will motivate them to put in their best.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NDA organised a Regimental Concert in honour of Ochai who is expected to hand over to his successor, Maj.-Gen. Abdul Ibrahim, on Tuesday.

From the left; the Outgoing Commandant NDA, Maj.-Gen. John Ochai, from the right, the incoming Commandant NDA, Maj.-Gen. Abdul Ibrahim, during the Regimental Concert in honour of the outgoing Commandant NDA in Kaduna

(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani