Students of the Junior Leadership and Staff Officers Course (JLSOC) at the Nigerian Army College of Logistics (NACOL) were awarded diplomas on January 22. The graduation ceremony took place on December 2, 2022 at the permanent location in Ojo, Lagos. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, spoke during the graduation ceremony and expressed his joy at being present for the Special Guest of Honor’s (SGOH) first JLSOC 1/22 graduation ceremony.
The COAS stressed the need of training and as such, he emphasized the need for all officers, regardless of their commission, to receive staff training in order to be better prepared to carry out their duties wherever they may be deployed.
The COAS continued by saying that he is sure that the standard in the school has significantly improved. This is for better deployment in higher capacities in their various corps, formations, and units of the Nigerian Army. Therefore, he advised the students to make the most of the training and use what they had learned so that others might see it in their behavior and staff duties.
He continued by saying that in order for the Nigerian Army (NA) to be able to conduct operations effectively and efficiently throughout the nation, it is imperative to train an increasing number of officers who are currently holding or who are likely to hold leadership staff appointments in formations and units. Then he urged the graduating students to be ready to deal with the nation’s security problems.
Therefore, he expressed his gratitude to the President, Commander in Chief, for his support of and faith in the NA, as well as to the Commandant and his team for their tenacious work and commitment to enhancing the College’s facilities.
The Commandant NACOL, Major General Adekunle Adeyinka, said earlier in his opening remarks that the College is deeply grateful for the trust the Chief of Army Staff placed in her to handle two additional, crucial career courses, the Junior Leadership and Staff Officers Course and the Senior Leadership and Staff Officers Course, respectively. He specifically complimented the COAS for his tireless and motivational support of the College and for honoring the invitation, as well as other visitors like members of the College Board. Moreover, their presence demonstrated how highly they regarded the College.
The Commandant further emphasized that 102 student officers and the graduating JLSOC 1/22 students came together on July 13 for 20 weeks of rigorous classroom and field training exercises designed to enhance the students’ professional skills for the effective performance of their duties in the defense of our country. Only 99 of the officers will graduate, though. The graduation class, he continued, consists of captain-level officers from almost all of the Nigerian Army’s corps.
He gave the COAS his word that the graduating officers would be adequately equipped to handle the leadership and staff requirements of the corps, formations, and units of the Nigerian Army. He also challenged the graduating students to build on the strong professional foundation the College had established by making intentional efforts to consistently display a high level of competence in the performance of all tasks given in the field.
Highlights of the event included the course highlights by the Deputy Commandant and the Director of Studies, Brigadier General Mohammed Abubakar, the conferral of awards to graduates, the presentation of certificates by the SGOH to JLSOC1/22 graduating students, the presentation of honors and awards, the commissioning of the NACOL Model Room, Cafeteria, and its conclusion with a group photo and refreshments at the NACOL Office.
