The 27 Regular Intake of Depot Nigerian Army on Saturday December 7, 2023 celebrated the promotion of 23 of its members who were promoted to the rank of Army Warrant Officers, (AWOs), by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Faruk Yahaya
The rank of AWO is the highest rank to be attained by a non commissioned officer in the Nigerian Army with 27 regular intake making history as the first intake to produce such large number of officers.
Chairman of the Intake association and a beneficiary of the promotion, Army Warrant Officer Jodah Umaru made the disclosure at the 34th anniversary celebration of the passing out of 2,983 intakes out of 3,000 that enlisted for training in 1988.
Jodah commended the Chief of Army Staff, Gen Yahaya for the various welfare projects, professional training programmes and capacity building initiatives which has elevated professionalism in the Nigerian Army
He said these professional training and capacity building efforts have played key roles in the professional of security challenges confronting the nation hence the series of successes being recorded by troops of the Nigerian Army.
While thanking his course-mates for for remaining united and displaying discipline in their areas of competence and deployments,Jodah paid tributes to the spouses of all 27 regular intakes for their support these past 34 years and for keeping the home front to ensure they concentrate on the various tasks assigned to them.
Delivering the anniversay lecture titled, ‘Making Retirement Meaningful’, the General Manager Finance and Accounts of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mr. Zwalda Poncap, who is also a member of the 27 regular intake before stepping aside after passing out, advised the officers to start preparing for life after retirement later this year.
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Recalling his experiences as a civilian after leaving the army, he urged regular 27 intakes to maintain low profile lives when they leave service, have meetings with their families to let them know that life in retirement will be different from life in service during which period they lived in free house rent, did not pay electricity or water bills which school fees will not be subsidized for the children as was in the barracks.
Furthermore, Mr. Poncap urged the officers after retirement to join good clubs, avoid investments that portends high returns because such investments also portends high risks.
“Rather my advise is go for investment that portends low and moderate returns, that is investments with low risk. Also, don’t trust people with your retirement package. Maintain a healthy living. Don’t depend on people. Don’t commit your retirement package in venture you are not sure of”, he said.
Giving a speach on the journey so far, Chairman of the 34th anniversary organizing committee, MWO Collins Ebebi said, “It is important to state that the year 1989 was historic for us as young soldiers and at the same time sad for us too as many of our colleagues who were posted to the defunct 123 Guards Battalion paid the ultimate prize while on peacekeeping mission in ECOMOG, during the Liberia civil war and many countless missions, operations at home and abroad.
“Today, we are grateful to God the creator, and also grateful to the current COAS, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya for singlehandedly deeming it fit to make history as he promoted 23 of our colleagues to the highest rank of AWO and countless MWOs in the history of any set of intake in the Nigerian Army.
Palliatives gifts including bags of rice, cash and others were later presented to widows of lost colleagues of 27 regular intakes who were specially remembered.
Among dignitaries present were Lt. Col Jimoh who was a member of 27 regular intake, Alhaji Azeez Wasiu Gbolade aka ‘Waspar’, a patron of regular 27, MWO Banjo (rtd) of Defence Intelligence School, the RSM of Defence headquarters, the RSM of 1 division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna and the RSM of Guards Brigade, Nigerian Army, Abuja.
