Nigerian Army Hosts 2024 TRADOC Merit Award Ceremony In Minna
The Nigerian Army’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC NA), in conjunction with Army Headquarters hosted the fourth annual TRADOC NA Merit Award ceremony on Friday, November 1, 2024. The event took place at the newly inaugurated Lieutenant General TA Lagbaja Multipurpose Hall within the Minna Military Cantonment, showcasing the Army’s commitment to recognizing academic excellence and outstanding performance among its officers. During the ceremony, 26 officers who excelled in various promotional examinations were celebrated for their achievements. Additionally, an award was presented to the Nigerian Army Division that demonstrated exceptional performance in its division training schools.
In his address, the Acting Chief of Army Staff (Ag COAS), Major General Olufemi Oluyede, who was represented by Major General Obinna Ajunwa, Director-General of the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre (NAHFC), emphasized the importance of the Merit Award in the Nigerian Army. He commended the awardees for their dedication and excellence in the 2024 promotion exams conducted by TRADOC NA. He noted that the initiative motivates officers to prepare rigorously for future exams, inspires junior officers to strive for excellence, and ultimately enhances professionalism across the Nigerian Army.
Major General Oluyede expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his continued support to the Nigerian Army and commended Major General Kevin Aligbe, Commander of TRADOC NA, for advancing the command’s standards to align with international best practices.
In his welcome address, Major General Aligbe reflected on the significance of the Merit Awards, introduced in 2021, which have since become an essential tool for promoting administrative efficiency and operational effectiveness in the Army. He noted that TRADOC NA’s rigorous evaluations and assessments have led to significant improvements in training quality across Nigerian Army schools, formations, and units. The ceremony also served as an opportunity to recognize distinguished individuals who have contributed to the development of the Command.
Acknowledging the invaluable support of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in enabling the completion of the Lieutenant General TA Lagbaja Multipurpose Hall, Major General Aligbe expressed his profound appreciation for the COAS’s continued material and financial contributions to TRADOC NA. The awards presented at the event included the COAS Commendation Award for Excellence, awards for the Best Candidates per Subject in the Captain to Major Practical Promotion Examination, and recognition in the Senior Staff Course Qualifying Examination. The Nigerian Army’s commitment to community welfare and civil-military cooperation was also underscored through the TRADOC NA Educational Support Programme. As part of this initiative, over 33,000 educational materials, including exercise books and writing supplies, were distributed to more than 7,000 children across four schools within the Minna Military Cantonment.
The event was attended by Principal Staff Officers from the Defence and Service Headquarters, heads of defence, services, and agencies, commanders and commandants from Nigerian Army formations and schools, as well as senior military officers, both serving and retired. Highlights of the occasion included goodwill messages from former TRADOC NA commanders, special performances by the NYSC Cultural Troupe, and a musical appearance by Stereoman Ekwe.
