By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Nigerian Army has tasked senior officers graduating from Leadership and Strategic Studies Course to translate their academic gains into measurable results in their formations and units.
The Chief of Training (Army), Maj.-Gen. Valentine Okoro, gave the charge on Thursday in Abuja at a luncheon organised by the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) to honour graduates of the Leadership and Strategic Studies Course 4 of 2025.
Okoro, represented by the Deputy Chief of Training (Courses), Brig.-Gen. T. Ahmed, said the officers’ impressive performance on the course had raised expectations about their impact in the field.
He described NARC as an important enabler of the Nigerian Army, commending its management and staff for sustaining professional development and strategic capacity building in the service.
“I want to congratulate you for your performances, but that is a challenge for us in the field.
“We shall be waiting to see the kind of value or additions you are going to have to address what you have done here,” he said.
Okoro urged the officers to return to their formations with renewed commitment and apply the knowledge acquired to address emerging and complex security challenges.
Earlier, the Director-General of NARC, retired Maj.-Gen. James Myam, challenged the officers to make integrity a defining principle of their leadership, stressing that their true test would come after the course.
He urged the graduates to be meticulous, think critically, challenge assumptions and deploy strategic thinking before executing assigned tasks.
“Regardless of the professional and academic achievements you have attained, the truest test of your success will be when you return to your formations and units.
“You will be expected to translate the knowledge you have gained on this course to produce tangible and knowledge-driven outcomes wherever you find yourselves.
“When you are confronted by complex or wicked problems, always remember to think outside the box. The solution must certainly be found somewhere, somehow,” he said.
Myam also illustrated the importance of integrity with the story of a Sudanese participant who was refunded one pound after inadvertently paying more than the required course fee at an institution in Ireland.
He said the institution’s decision to return the money, despite the administrative cost exceeding the amount, demonstrated that integrity was about doing what was right even when nobody was watching.
The DG said the 11-month course was conducted in partnership with the Postgraduate School of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to provide higher-level professional and academic education for senior officers of the Direct Regular Commission.
He said the programme was designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills required to navigate contemporary security challenges and complex operational environments.
Myam said successful participants would receive a Master’s degree in Leadership and Strategic Studies from the NDA Postgraduate School and Fellowship of Leadership and Strategic Studies from NARC.
Responding on behalf of the graduating participants, Lt.-Col. Bolaji Oladejo pledged that the officers would deploy the knowledge acquired to strengthen the Nigerian Army and national security.
He described the 45-week journey, which began on Oct. 31, 2025, as demanding, enriching and transformative, thanking the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, for nominating the officers for the programme.
Oladejo also urged his colleagues to remain good ambassadors of NARC and uphold its values as a think tank committed to strategy and policy research for improved national security and development.
The event was attended by senior Army officers, NARC directors and staff, faculty members, resource persons, course participants, invited guests and members of the media.(NAN)(NAN)
Edited by Yakubu Uba