Maj.-Gen. Mayirenso Saraso, GOC, 1 Division Nigerian Army, has advised cadets of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to be good military leaders.
According to him, this is to ensure that troops can risk their lives to follow them even in the most dangerous circumstances.
Saraso gave the advice at the NDA Commandant’s Luncheon in honour of the passing out cadets of 71 Regular Course, Direct Short Service Course 28 Army and 32 Air Force on Sunday in Kaduna.
Saraso, who is also the Commander, Operations Whirl Punch, said the purpose of the luncheon was not only to wine and dine but to interact and guide them to effectively use their wealth of experiences.
He said other senior serving officers including the retired ones had endured the path they had just undertaken as cadets and the service life they were yet to experience.
Saraso said, “I urge you to get as much
as you can from your interactions with them to chart a better future for yourself in the military.
“We are rightly gathered
here to recognize and celebrate your success, it is but only the start of your careers as potential officers in the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
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“The baton of responsibility for leading and inspiring troops which is the very essence of being a commissioned officer is just about to be handed over to you.
“It is both an immense
privilege and a daunting challenge. “
He, however, said that the cadets have been adequately trained and prepared for the challenges ahead by some of the very best officers.
“It’s indeed not an accident that you have made it this far.
“Each of you has demonstrated the very special values that are essential for leadership.
”If you do not possess such values, you will not be fit for this luncheon,” Saraso said.
He explained that from his experience over the past decades, the nation can bestow no higher honour to the cadets than trusting them to lead men in combat, either at home or abroad.
Saraso added that that was the kind of positive recognition they should seek to achieve and be fondly proud of for the rest of their lives.
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Saraso congratulated them for enduring the exhaustive training that spanned for a period of five years and four
months for the DSSC cadets.
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The commander said the reward for the discipline, hard work and resilience that they have exhibited was the Presidential
Commission into the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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Saraso said, “When commissioned as officers, you are leaders of men while good leadership is often difficult to define, it is in a way easy to recognise.
” If you cannot attain this virtue at any leadership role, you are nothing
but an individual taking an aimless walk in the park.
“I want to leave five important points to guide you throughout your career.
”Self-discipline. believe in yourself, education and knowledge are critical in every day learning opportunity.”
Earlier, the Commandant, NDA, Maj.-Gen. John Ochai, said the massage of the GOC was a catalyst to the cadets to put in their best.
Ochai charged the cadets to give in their best, urging, ”you should eschew all elements of discrimination gender, religious and ethnicity in service to the nation .”
He told the cadets that excellence was the watchword of the military and there was no compromise in that regards.