The Nigerian Army say its leadership development is to have officers who can be decisive, skillful and self-motivated across all its chains of command to handle emerging challenges in the country.
The Corps Commander, Nigerian Army Medical Corps, Maj.-Gen. Ikechukwu Okeke, made the assertion when the second phase of the 2018 Nigerian Army Leadership Development Seminar opened in Lagos on Tuesday.
The seminar, with the theme, “Managerial Intelligence: A Panacea for Leadership Development’’, is holding at the Nigerian Army School of Finance and Administration, Apapa, Lagos.
“You must develop the ability to learn, understand and deal with new and trying situations and to apply such knowledge to manipulate your environment.
“Leadership development in the Army is imperative in view of the emerging challenges in the country and to successfully handle these, there is a need for decisive, skillful and self-motivated leadership across all chains of command,’’ Okeke said.
Okeke, the guest of honour at the seminar, noted that the nation was currently faced with various socio-political, economic and security challenges and that the Nigerian Army being an important component of the larger society was equally expected to rise to its traditional roles.
“It therefore, deserves competent, effective and efficient leadership.’’
Okeke extolled the leadership qualities of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. TY Buratai, saying he was a “transformational leader worthy of emulation.
“In line with his vision, which is to have a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles, the COAS has been very supportive of professional development of troops through seminars and workshops.
“This seminar is a reaffirmation of the commitment and importance the Nigerian Army attaches to capacity building and career progress of its personnel in the ranks of Lieutenant-Colonels and Colonels.’’
He noted those in the ranks played important roles in policy formulation and the implementation, adding that leadership was all about setting an example so that others could understand the path they must follow.
Earlier, Brig.-Gen. Bamidele Taiwo, Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Finance and Administration, said the theme would dwell extensively on the ways of ensuring effective and efficient management of human and material resources in the attainment of optimal performance in their duties.
He listed some of the topics to be discussed at the seminar to include “Understanding and developing managerial intelligence’’, “Influence of Managerial intelligence on leadership styles’’, “Advanced emotional intelligence’’ and “Fostering and developing team motivation’’. (NAN)
