National Defense College regocnizes Governor Sule for an award on leadership

The National Defense College (NDC), the apex military training institution in Nigeria and subsaharan Africa, has selected Governor Abdullahi Sule for an award on leadership.

The NDC is also inviting Governor Sule to mentor youth leaders from across the country during its maiden strategic leadership training for youth leaders, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.

Dr. Emmanuel Onuakpor, Director of Protocol of the National Defense College made this known when he led the organizing committee for the youth leaders strategic leadership conference on a courtesy call on Governor Sule at the Government House on Tuesday.

Onuakpor disclosed that the apex military institution is organizing its maiden strategic leadership training for youth leaders across the country, as part of the initiative to fulfil its mandate, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.

He said that as part of the conference, NDC has selected some leaders, including Governor Sule for recognition and award for their exemplary stewardship.

“Sir, the National Defense College is using the opportunity to invite some of the governors whom we have seen their development strides, not only to honour them but to equally make them mentors and role models for the youth leaders that will be coming from across the country,” he stated.

The NDC director of protocol said the institute undertook a holistic scrutiny of those selected for the recognition and award.

“The satellite was beamed across and a whole lot of indices were used. To a large extent Sir, it was narrowed down on you and one or two others that would be honoured during the award and dinner night. You have done tremendously well. We have looked at your development strides and accomplishments. We have equally seen the number of youths that are holding key positions in your administration,” he said.

Onuakpor added that the event will celebrate leaders who would serve as role models for the youth leaders to be trained at the institute.

“Our leaders ought to be celebrated and used as models for the youth leaders to see and emulate some leadership values from them. One that note, you will be expected to make a brief presentation in the opening ceremony in the form of a goodwill. We are inviting you to make some remarks and mentor the entirety of the youth leaders in the course of the programme where President Ahmed Bola Tinubu will be the special guest of honour,” he stated.

Onuakpor revealed that the NDC has a mandate for training strategic leaders in the military and some strategic ministries, departments, and agencies of the federal government and that after careful consideration by the Commandant of the college, is now venturing into training youth leaders from across the country to imbue them with strategic leadership to foster national development.

“The NDC has trained so far, over 2900 participants from all over the world. Currently, we have 23 participants out of 100 participants of Course 33 who are from other countries all over the world. These ones that have been trained by the college, so far, they have been leaders all over the world. Chiefs of defence staff in various countries, particularly in Africa. The current defence adviser of Germany, Cameroon and a host of African countries they just finished from the college in the last course,” he noted.

He pointed out that most of the 2900 trained participants are senior military officers, with a sizeable number of them having retired but not ploughed back into the civil space.

“It’s on this premise that the Commandant had discussions with the Minister of Defence that it is very apt to train youth leaders in the art of strategic leadership, so that they can contribute effectively to national development. Particularly, imbuing in them military leadership values which to a large extent is lacking among our present crop of youth leaders.

“It is on that premise that they had an extensive discussion and said that it is very apt that we do not only concentrate on training military leaders but equally training henceforth, beginning this year, this is the maiden training, youth leaders all over the country,” he added.

In his response, Governor Abdullahi Sule, commended the Commandant and NDC for initiating the laudable programme that would see the institute diversify its mandate towards impacting strategic leadership skills on Nigerian youths.

“I think you captured it when you said it is very important for the defense college not just to consider former governors, ministers and to start looking at the youths, grooming the youths to also become startetgic leaders. I think that is a wonderful idea. I want to congratulate the defense college for thinking in that direction. My special congratulations to the Commandant for coming up with this initiative. I think it’s a wonderful thing we need to do,” he stated.

Governor Sule pointed out that it is a common trend while planning and formulating policies and programmes to always exclude the youths who constitute 70 percent of the country’s population.

He said the initiative by the NDC will give hope to Nigerian youths.

The Governor used the opportunity to call on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Stufies (NIPSS) Kuru, to also emulate this idea by integrating youths into their programmes.

“I hope the NIPSS will also copy from this. It is a policy institution. It is supposed to be an institution of people with experience. But if you have an opening where the youths would come not as participants but as mentees. Give them an opportunity to learn. I see this practised in Brazil, and it works well in Brazil. I think you have started it, and you are doing it well. Maybe NIPSS will one day see what you are doing and see if they can go on that line. It will be a wonderful thing for our country,” he said.

While promising to honour the invitation to grace the opening ceremony for the strategic leadership conference for youth leaders, including youths from Nasarawa State, the Governor appreciated the NDC for acknowledging the modest development strides of his administration.