The Commander, Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport, Maj.-Gen. Bolaji Salami said 50 Lieutenant Colonels and Colonels would be trained in best global management practices.

Salami said this at the 18th Nigerian Army Leadership Development Seminar 2022 with the theme: “Leadership Excellence in Chaos and Crisis”.

The 5-day seminar, organized by the Nigerian Army School of Finance and Administration (NASFA) in conjunction with the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), would end on Friday at Maj.-Gen. A.A. Abdulkadir Hall, Headquarters, Nigerian Army Command Finance Office, Apapa, Lagos.

According to Salami, the choice of the theme is a clear commitment to achieving the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya’s vision for the Nigerian Army.

“The COAS vision is achieving a professional Nigerian Army ready to accomplish assigned missions within a joint environment in defense of Nigeria.”

“The theme also reveals that the Army is not left behind in the development of leaders with cognitive abilities for the management of human and material resources with global best practices.

“This gathering is a reaffirmation of the commitment and importance the Nigeria Army places on capacity building and career progression of its personnel in the ranks of Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel,” he said.

Salami said that the program also highlighted the importance the Nigerian Army placed on the leadership effectiveness of the officers at various levels of command.

“As leaders, the need to improve our skills and develop leadership capacity for transformation in order to gain and sustain competitive advantage in chaos and crisis environment cannot be underestimated.

“It is my belief that this seminar will help in equipping participants with the right skills, values, and orientation that will aid them in an effective decision-making process.

“The accomplishment of Nigerian Army goals and objectives, especially at this premium time, depends on the prompt and precise application of leadership capabilities as leaders,” the commander said.

Salami said leadership development in the army was imperative in view of emerging security challenges that had manifested in rampant ethno religious upheavals, kidnappings, banditry, and terrorism across the country.

“To successfully handle these current challenges, there is a need for decisive, skillful, and self-motivated leadership across all the chains of command.

“The selection of the theme was made at the right time, given the concern to creatively apply new methodologies to tackle socio-economic problems through dynamic leadership.

“The seminar is a veritable forum for acquiring the necessary expertise that will be critical in confronting challenges of leadership and command at various levels,” the commander said.

In the same vein, the Commandant, NASFA, Brig.-Gen. Felix Ohunyeye said the seminar was designed for the cadre officers in view of the important roles they played in policy formulation and implementation.

“The seminar is designed to equip participants with the right skills, values, and orientation to carry out their roles effectively and efficiently through the use of global management best practices.

“It was carefully crafted to prepare participants for their day-to-day assignments which require inventive, innovative and creative attitude as key drivers of effective leadership in the army,” he said.

Ohunyeye said that the topics selected to be discussed would help to meet the Nigerian Army's expectations towards resolving contemporary security challenges within a joint environment in defense of Nigeria.

“The topics include: Building capacity for crisis management, cultivating a culture of resilience and adaptability, leading in critical situations, the role of communication in leadership, and conflict resolution management.

“These topics are important tools towards effective higher management of defense, strategic communications, and a good understanding of the operational joint environment for ease of achieving Nigerian Army’s constitutional roles and objectives,” he said.

Also, a representative of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Mr. Jide Oshin, said that the seminar would help keep beneficiaries abreast of the best international professional management practices.

“By this development, the commandant has demonstrated his commitment to capacity building with a view to maintaining the culture of management professionalism among officers of the Nigerian Army.

“This program has also continued to impact positively on the professional life of officers, especially in the way they tackle and manage their daily professional and personal challenges,” Oshin said.