By Mike Jones
ABUJA/Nigeria: The Nigerian government had called on collaboration between the Armed Forces and the Private Sector on research.
The Nigerian Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo stated this during the combined passing out parade for cadets of 64 Regular Course (Army, Navy, Airforce), 65 Regular Course (Navy and Air Force) and Short Service Course 44 (Army) where he represented His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR on 16 September, 2017
Professor Osinbajo said the graduation parade marks another important milestone in the history of the Nigerian Defence Academy, as it carries out its mandate of producing competent, committed and patriotic officers who will take pride of place in various Services and formations of the Armed Forces.
“The graduation is even more remarkable in the sense that it is a combined graduation for the 64 Regular Course and 65 Regular Course of the Navy and Air Force, and the Short Service Course 44 of the Army respectively”.
He praised the combined grandaunts, who are of different nationality, which demonstrated the spirit of African brotherhood.
“The cadets passing out today are 4 nationals of Togo and one from the Republic of Benin. This is a longstanding tradition; the NDA has over the years, in the spirit of African brotherhood and cooperation, trained cadets from various African countries: Liberia, Togo, Sierra Leone, Niger, Central African Republic, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Burkina Faso and Chad”.
While commending the officers and men on their parade, he reminded them that the world has changed a great deal, with reference to the increasing insecurity in the world.
“The threats that confront us as a nation and as a planet have evolved and continue to evolve. Forty years ago, a speech like this would have been situated firmly within the context of the Cold War, with its well-defined ideologies, and distinct warring parties”.
“It is worthy of note that until about 2013, the phenomenon of female suicide bombers was virtually unknown in the Boko Haram insurgency. A short four years later, it is one of the defining elements of the insurgency – young girls, some not even teenagers yet, laden with explosives and sent off as harbingers of death and destruction”.
“This swift evolution in suicide bombings is a perfect illustration of the nature of the threats that nations face today – unpredictable, asymmetric, constantly adapting to changing conditions, driven by a compulsive need to inflict maximum damage with minimal effort”.
He advocated for the exploration and innovation of technology in security issues, because the issues around conflict are the issues around how the military in the process of innovating or thinking through use of science and technology to add real value to the society and nation it has sworn to defend, just as he commended the NDA on her inventions such as the Automated Pop-Up Target System, a Multi-Purpose Combat Mobile Robot, and a Perimeter Surveillance Robot, which the NDA has showcased at various science and technology exhibitions in the recent past., which he asserted are laudable
He reminded the armed forces of the need to utilize and collaborate more extensively with the private sector, for research and innovation.
“All around the country technology hubs are springing up that are attracting our Nigeria’s brightest talent, and breaking new technological ground. I am convinced that the military should make its presence felt in this area”.
