Tinubu Calls On Military Leaders To Build A Productive And Sovereign Nigeria

According to Ireporter Online, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged senior military officers of the National Defence College (NDC) Course 33 to contribute to building a productive, inclusive, and resilient Nigeria. Speaking at the State House in Abuja, the President emphasized that it is the shared responsibility of government and citizens alike to strengthen and protect the nation’s sovereignty.

President Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to leveraging Nigeria’s human, material, and intellectual resources to drive industrialization, peace, and broad-based prosperity. He highlighted the importance of developing strategic leaders equipped with the knowledge and analytical skills necessary to navigate the nation’s dynamic defence and security environment.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President stressed that it is a patriotic duty to ensure that Nigeria remains productive, governed inclusively, and positioned to safeguard the interests of future generations. He encouraged participants to see themselves as agents of positive change, assuring that the government would continue to provide platforms for collaborative solutions to emerging economic and security challenges.

President Tinubu also reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to strengthening defence institutions to cultivate leaders capable of managing national security effectively. He noted that recommendations from the course’s research on “Harnessing Indigenous Manufacturing for Enhanced National Security by 2040” would be carefully reviewed for implementation.

Highlighting the need for intellectual rigor, the President called for continuous analysis of national challenges and learning from the experiences of other countries. On the matter of the NDC’s permanent site, stalled since 2010, he urged participants to exercise patience, promising that the issue would be addressed in due course.

The Commandant of the college explained that Course 33, themed “Strengthening Institutions for National Security and Development in Nigeria,” comprises 99 participants, including military officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force, police, government ministries, and 23 international participants from Africa, Asia, and South America. He noted that the NDC has graduated 3,097 officers since its inception, contributing to leadership development in Nigeria and friendly nations.

Captain M. A. Ahmed, leader of the course team, stated that the research aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in economic diversification, industrialization, digitalization, and indigenous manufacturing. He highlighted that study teams from the NDC have visited over 23 countries worldwide to assess the role of indigenous manufacturing in wealth creation, job generation, and national growth.