The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Olufemi Oluyede, has called on the Nigerian Navy to continue to encourage inclusion and cooperation of sister agencies in some of their activities.
Oluyede, who made the call at Onne, Rivers State, while speaking at the maiden 10 kilometers jog/walk exercise organised by the Nigerian Naval College, Onne, said such inclusion promotes inter agencies relationship and cooperation.
He commended the Navy for their integration approach, which encouraged full participation of sister agencies such as the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Customs Service, the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).
The GOC, who was represented by the Commander, 6 Division Garrison, Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Saidu Tilawan, therefore, advised the Navy to change their slogan ‘Onward Together’ to ‘ Nigeria Onward Together’, pointing out that such was necessary in this new mood of cooperation.
He also charged sister agencies to learn from the Navy, stressing that such cooperation could promote inter-agencies understanding.
The Army Chief said: “I say congratulation for a good performance. There is a saying with the Nigerian Navy, ‘Nigerian Navy, Onward Together’, but what I have seen today is no longer, Nigerian Navy Onward Together.
“The vision of the Chief of the Naval Staff has lifted this slogan from ‘Nigerian Navy Onward Together’ to ‘Nigeria Onward Together’ because here we have representatives of all military services, para-military organizations, civil organizations, friends from civilian population all gathered together to participate in the maiden edition of the 10km walk and jog exercise 2023.
“This is a good testimony to the vision of the Nigerian Navy whereby they have up the ante in inter-services cooperation, civil-military cooperation and community relations cooperation.
“In the words of General Douglas Mac Arthur, a famous General, he said that the first duty of all military personnel is to keep fit. Because when you are not fit, you find it difficult to execute the basic requirements of military profession.
“I was here some few days ago, when the Nigerian Navy Basic Training school had their obstacle competition, I was highly impressed. It was the most comprehensive and thorough exercise I have ever seen.
”So, on behalf of my General Officer Commanding 6 division , Nigerian Army, Major-General O. Oluyede, I say congratulations to Nigerian Navy and the Commandant, Nigerian Naval College, Onne, for hosting this very interesting and beneficial occasion.”
Earlier in his speech, the Commandant of the Nigerian Navy College, Onne, Commodore Pakiribo Anabraba, explained that the essence of the exercise was to keep the personnel of the Nigerian Navy including sister agencies and members of the public alert and fit .
Anabraba said: “The objective of this exercise is to bring the Nigerian Navy and all other sister agencies as well as host communities together to relate in a more conducive atmosphere so that when they see themselves in operation they can cooperate seamlessly.
“I must say that the Nigerian Naval College, Onne has enjoyed cordial relationship with her host communities and other stakeholders , sister agencies and para-military services. So, this 10 km walk/jog is one of the activities set up to further reinforced the existing relationship.
”Recall in the past, the College had organized a medical rhapsody, environmental sanitation exercise . So, this is another exercise directed by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral AZ Gambo to make sure that naval units relate very well with their host communities.
“Of course, if you don’t keep fit, there is nothing you can do. If you are not physically and mentally fit, you can’t even think . This exercise is to keep us fit. We’ve started it, we’re going to continue.”
The 10 kilometers jog/walk exercise, which involved over 157 participants took them from the college to the onne roundabout and back to the college.
Constable Tsegha Emmanuel of the Nigeria Police Force, Bonny Division and Sergeant Asedo Queensley of the Sports Secretariat, Nigeria Police headquarters, Rivers state command respectively were the first male and female participants to arrive from the 10 km jog/walk.
Gifts were presented to them and other participant. Some participants including DSP Briggs Asigoboka, a sports officer of Nigeria Police, Kennedy Onuoha, a staff of Notore (NAFCON) and Daniel Ekpah of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, who spoke with newsmen in an interview commended the Navy for the exercise.
The event which attracted commanders of other military units and formations, commander, Nigerian Basic Navy Training school, commanding officers of ships and establishments, heads, representatives, members of federal government parastatals, senior officers, family members of personnel, friends of the college and the general public, was the first of its kind.
