Nigerian Army Heritage & Future Centre (NAHFC) will Create Reservoir of Competent, Dedicated Officers/Personnel to Address NA’s Peculiar Challenges – CDS; I Iapproved Establishment of the Center for Entrenchment and Preservation of NA’s Heritage – COAS

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor, has said that the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre (NAHFC), a think-tank for future development of the army, will create a reservoir of competent and dedicated personnel officers, as well as specialists to address Nigerian army’s peculiar challenges both in operations and capacity development.

Speaking while inaugurating the Centre in Abuja on Thursday, he said the heritage and future center as intended, will add value to the Nigerian army’s activities in terms of preserving its history, and drawing lessons for ongoing and future operations through critical analysis.

His words, “It is pertinent for me to mention the central role research plays in providing constructive solutions to myriads of problems facing the armed forces of Nigeria. 

“The dynamics of the operating environment for the armed forces of Nigeria demands that we x-ray the lenses of engagement in various thematic areas. 

“It is my fervent hope that this center will provide a veritable opportunity for serving as well as retired officers to contribute to the Nigerian army’s future development and modernization agenda through focused research. 

“I am happy to note that the center has a directorate dedicated to improving jointness and operational as well as other activities with sister services. 

“On the whole, I expect the center to add impetus to the system through innovative ideas to problem solving approach of the Nigerian army in particular, and the armed forces of Nigeria in general”.

Gen. Irabor urged officers that would be deployed in the Centre to work towards accomplishing the set goals of the Centre as well as set the tone for greater excellence from the Nigerian army in particular, and the armed forces in general.

He appreciated the efforts and contributions of the officers and men of Nigerian army towards the defence of the territorial integrity in conjunction with sister services.

In his remarks, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, stated the Nigerian army had undergone significant transformation since the advent of democracy, noting that the major driver of the Centre was in terms of professionalism and personnel towards achieving operational successes as well as improving the image of the Nigerian army. 

The COAS said that Nigerian army had continued to consolidate on the transformation with robust operational and administrative milestones recorded saying it had been his desire to put in place measures that would prevent a reversal of the gains so far recorded. 

“One of such measures is the aggregation of highly skilled, competent and senior experienced officers and others with requisite competencies to address Nigeria army’s specific and thematic challenges”.

Continuing he said, “This is to be achieved through productive research, analysis studies on suggestion of novel solutions to make Nigerian army more effective, resilient and adaptive force.

“In this wise, I approved the establishment of the center to among other key roles develop plan for the entrenchment and preservation of Nigerian army heritage. It is to provide strategic inputs for future plans and controls, modernization of the Nigerian army as well as act as loyal opposition to Nigerian army by constantly calling out inconsistencies and flaws within the system”.

Furthermore, Lt. Gen Yahaya said the center would also work to institutionalize and maintain novel solution to tactical, operational, training, administrative and logistic challenges of Nigerian army to ensure accurate future forecasting based on sound analysis and research.

“This will facilitate the emplacement of frameworks that would ensure that the deployment of adaptable, resilient and effective forces to confront and defeat current and emerging threats”.

He noted that that the milestone that army had attained over time were initially just ideas that were vigorously and intelligently pursued to the logical end pointing out that NAHFC will be a factory of ideas leading Nigerian army to the future envisioned. 

The COAS commended the efforts of officers and soldiers for their commitment to ongoing operations towards riding the nation of all forms of threats and pledged to continue to provide the needed logistics supports for their operational successes.

END