President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that during his military days, there was no time for academic pursuit as his sojourn was all about war, coups and counter-coups while expressing happiness with the neo-intellectual approach of the military.
The president also commended the leadership of the Nigerian Army for the intellectual transformation of its officer corps.
Speaking at a ceremony for the decoration of two senior officers working closely with him at the State House on Wednesday, the president in a statement by his senior special assistant media, Garba Shehu said that modern armies require superiority of intellect and imagination to achieve victory in warfare.
Addressing the newly-promoted officers, Air-Vice Marshal Sadiq Ismaila Kaita, the commander of the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) and Colonel Mohammed Lawal Abubakar, his Aide-De-Camp (ADC), president Buhari expressed happiness with the dazzling array of university degrees they have acquired.
He, however, urged all officers to ensure the translation of academic achievements to performance in the field and other places of assignment.
“I am happy with the intellectual approach of the military. In our time, there was no time for academic pursuit. It was all about war, coups and counter-coups,” he noted.
President Buhari said in times of peace and stability, military officers should use such opportunity to pursue their intellectual transformation which should go side-by-side with hardware transformation of modern armies.
The President urged officers to read History, irrespective of their academic backgrounds, describing it as an important pre-requisite for strategic learning and success in the military.
He emphasized that the good quality of the officer corps of the Nigerian Armh calls for good performance.
President Buhari congratulated both officers on their various achievements in their services and urged them to always be mindful of the welfare of those placed under their command.
Both Air Vice-Marshal Kaita and Colonel Abubakar have, prior to their current assignments, served the country in peace-keeping missions abroad and are married with families.
