The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has charged newly-promoted senior officers to brace up for challenges ahead, especially as the force resolved for a regeneration.
Abubakar gave the charge on Tuesday in Abuja after decorating the 14 Air Vice Marshals, 36 Air Commodores and four Flight Lieutenants in their new ranks.
The new Air Vice Marshals are James Gwani, Moses Onilede, Charles Umolu, Olurotimi Tuwase, Musa Muktar, Emmanuel Alade and Musibau Olatunji.
Others are Maxwell Nnaji, Sule Lawal, Aliyu Bello, Ismaila Yahaya, Emmanuel Chukwu, Abdullahi Kassimu and Ibrahim Ali.
The air chief urged the officers to be prepared to apply their skills, experience, commitment and time when and wherever it was demanded of them.
“As we continue in our march to build a new NAF, I encourage every one of you to strive to contribute his quota by all means possible,” he said.
He noted that the promotion was the crowning glory of almost three decades and more and that it was for dedication, diligence and loyalty to the course of their fatherland.
Abubakar said that it behoved on all the promoted officers to strive to leave up to expectations, and hinted that promotion would no longer be business as usual in the Air Force.
“In an increasingly complex security environment where new challenges call for the very best, promotion can no longer be business as usual.”
He disclosed that the officers earned the new ranks by dint of hard work amongst other criteria considered.
Abubakar thanked the family members and friends of the officers decorated for the support they had been providing all the years.
“These officers will continue to need this support, perhaps even more now than ever, because promotion demands higher responsibility,” he said.
He added that he was particularly thrilled to be part of “another history being recorded in the commissioning of four dedicated, hardworking and astute Air Warrant Officers (AWOs) to the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
“These AWOs have put in nothing less than 33 years of outstanding meritorious service to the nation and have been found to possess exemplary leadership qualities,” he said.
Earlier, Chief of Administration, Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Kingsley Lar, had said that the occasion marked another milestone in the career development of some senior officers recently elevated to higher ranks.
He said that the promotion followed a painstaking screening and approval by the Air Council, adding that several qualities and conditions were used to determine an officer’s eligibility for promotion.
Lar noted that elevation came with higher and added responsibilities.
“It is therefore incumbent on you not to betray the confidence reposed in you through the promotion by the Service.
“You are enjoined to be more diligent, articulate and compassionate in your disposition to your duties and other persons, whether professional colleagues or civilians,” he said.
