By Dada Ahmed.
The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has restated the Federal government’s commitment to sustaining the tempo of funding and infrastructural development in the educational sector.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mohammad Abdulkadri, Special Assistant to the Minister of Defence on Media and Publicity and a copy made available to The Reporters on Friday.
Abdulkadir quoted Professor Osinbajo as having stated this in a message to the 31st convocation ceremony of the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, Kaduna, in honour of the Cadets of the 68 Regular Course held at the Academy Auditorium.
The Vice President, who was special guest of honour at the ceremony was represented by the Minister of Defence Maj.- Gen. Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd),who doubles as the Chairman, NDA Council.
The Vice president said the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had invested vital resources in meeting globally acceptable standard in all facets of education, economy and polity.
While appreciating the enviable status of NDA as the foremost military University and a great citadel of learning in sub- Saharan Africa, he tasked the leadership of the institution to accord priority attention to the teaching of modern military science.
He appealed to Nigerians to renew hope in Nigeria, adding that great Nations never succumb to momentary challenges such as social upheavals, religious intolerance and economic hardship facing the country.
In his address of welcome,the Commandant, NDA, Maj.- Gen. Ibrahim Manu Yusuf, said the institution had made remarkable and sustainable academic progress and infrastructural transformation since its establishment in 1964.
General Yusuf vouched for the Cadets and other graduands, pointing out that they were well equipped with requisite knowledge and good character to navigate the turbulence of life and to contribute their quota to nation building.
The Minister of Defence,who has the pedigree of being a former Cadet Brigade Commander and former NDA Commandant between 1998 and 1999 performed the statutory Council’s Chairman duty inline with the well established academic Protocols and tradition.
He conferred awards of Diplomas and Degrees Certicates on the Cadets, civilian graduands and Honourary PhD awards on the business mogul, Aliko Dangote while two posthumous awards went to the families of the 21st Chief of Army Staff, Lt.- General Ibrahim Attahiru, received by his wife, Fati Attahiru and son of the late elder stateman, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Joda.
Other nightlights, among others at the occasion, were the admittance of the graduands into the hall of fame of the prestigious NDA Alumni and the unveiling of the Academy Book Series on Defence and Security.
