Academic Directors – National Defence College, Nigeria

Brig Gen Mohammed Sani Usman was born on 9 September 1975 in Roni, Jigawa State. The Senior Officer was commissioned into the Nigerian Army in 1999 as a member of the 46 Regular Course of Nigerian Defence Academy.  He holds a Master of Philosophy Degree in Security and Strategic Studies from Nigerian Defence Academy as well as Master degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy and a Master\ in Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

During the Course of his career, the Senior Officer has attended several military courses which includes; Young Officers’ Course (Infantry), Basic and Advanced Airborne Courses, Company Amphibious Operations Course, Military Observe Course, Volleyball Coaching and Officiating Course, Basic Unarmed Combat Course and Advanced Physical Training Course. Others are Mortar Platoon Commanders’ Course, Police Administration and Security Management Course, Commanding Officers’ Course (Infantry) and Senior Physical Training Officers Executive Management Course. He has also attended the Junior and Senior Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji,

The Senior Officer has held a number of appointments which includes; Platoon Comd/Coy 2ic 65 Battalion, Instructor/Admin Officer Depot Nigerian Army Recruit Centre, Company 2iC/Operations Officer 73 Battalion and Army School of Physical Training as Chief Instructor. He was equally served as SO2 Plans at Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans, Directing Staff Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Commandant Nigerian Army Sports Camp and Chief of Staff Amphibious Training School.

Brig Gen MS Usman is currently the Director Higher Military Organization and Operations at the National Defence College Nigeria. The Senior Officer enjoys travelling and making friends.  He is married and the union is blessed with 5 children.

Commodore Ajomabi Oride was born on 1 Aug 74 and hails from Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State. He was commissioned into the Nigerian Navy as a member of 45 Regular Course. He held several appointments among which include Deputy Director Plans NHQ, Assistant Director, Plans NHQ, Commanding Officer NNS THUNDER, Executive Officer NNS VICTORY and Deputy Defence Attache Washington DC. The senior officer had International Sea voyages from California USA to Lagos Nigeria and from Chidong China to Lagos Nigeria. Major Courses attended by Commodore Oride include Sub technical Course and Officers Long Course,  NNS QUORRA, Junior and Senior Staff Courses at AFCSC Jaji and the Strategic Course at the National Defence College Abuja. Other minor courses attended include Civil-Military Response to Terrorism at Monterey California and Foreign Military Sales Course at Dayton Ohio.

Commodore Oride also attended the following Civil courses; Postgraduate Diploma in Electrical/Electronics at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; Masters in International Affairs and Strategic Studies, NDA and MSc International Relations and Security Studies from University of Ibadan. He is the author of 2 books; THE MAN DAVID – HIS CHARACTER and BEYOND FAMILIAR WATERS: MEMOIRS OF A NIGERIAN SAILOR. His hobbies are playing Soccer and Table Tennis.

Air Commodore Patrick James Edem was born on 30 Dec 72. He hails from Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. He was enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) as a member of Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Regular Course (RC) 44, on 14 Aug 92 and was commissioned Plt Offr on 20 Sep 97. The Senior Officer obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Master of Arts (MA) in Conflict Peace and Security from Kofi Anan International Peace Keeping Training Centre Accra-Ghana, Master of Science (MSc) in Defence and International Politics from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration Accra-Ghana amongst others.

The Senior Officer has attended several courses namely; Aeromechanical Engineering Course at 320 Technical Training Group (now AFIT) Kaduna, Instructional Technique Course AFIT, Local Typerating Course (LOTRAC) on L-39ZA aircraft at 303 Flying Training School (FTS) Kano, Aircraft Maintenance Planning Course at AMECON Lagos, Negotiation Skills Course ASCON Badagry, Quality Assurance Course Pakistan, Engineering Control Officer’s Course at 431 Engr Gp Kaduna. Others are the Junior and Senior Staff Courses at Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, as well as Higher Defence Management Course at the National Defence College Nigeria.

He has served in various capacities which includes; Instructor 320 Technical Training Group (TTG) Kaduna, Security Officer to Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Logistics Command, Security Officer to AOC Training Command (TC), SO2 Statistics at HQ TC, Engineering Officer 303 FTS Kano, Staff Officer Air Engineering at the LOTRAC Secretariat now NAFTRAC Secretariat; Ag SO1 Statistics HQ NAF Directorate of Aircraft Engineering (DAE), Project Manager (Helicopters) PIMT, Directing Staff, Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, Directing Staff, Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, Deputy Director Maintenance HQ NAF (DAE); Deputy Director Aircraft Engineering (HQ NAF); Directing Staff, National Defence College Abuja amongst others.

Air Cdre PJ Edem is happily married and the marriage is blessed with 3 boys and one girl. At his leisure time, he enjoys playing musical keyboard, listening to gospel music as well as jazz instrumentals. He also loves watching nature and reading inspirational books.

Ambassador Akin Oyateru joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria in 1980 and holds a BSc in Political Science and a Masters degree in International and Diplomacy from the Universities of Ife and Lagos respectively.

During the course of his service, he deployed to various Departments at the Ministry Headquarters including those of Protocol, Africa, International Organisations, Policy Planning, Administration, Asia & Pacific and the State House, Abuja among others. He has also served at various Nigerian Missions overseas among which are Poland, Austria, Namibia and Ireland. An accomplished Diplomat, he has also represented the country at many international conferences.

One time Chief of Protocol of the Foreign Ministry, he served as the Chief Protocol Officer during the Presidential Inauguration Ceremonies in 1999, 2003 and that of 2007. He has also handled other protocol assignments involving visiting Heads of State and other Very Important Personalities.

The Ambassador was also a Director of the Asia & Pacific Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria and was a past Minister/Head of Political Affairs Section of the Nigeria High Commission, London from 2008 to 2012. He served as High Commissioner to Kenya with concurrent accreditation to Seychelles and Permanent Representative of Nigeria to UNEP and UN Habitat between 2012 and 2015.

Amb. Akin Oyateru retired from the Foreign Service after meritorious service in 2015. He was the Project Management Lead, of the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) in the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (OHSCF) between 2017 – 2019. Before his current engagement as Director, National Geopolitical Affairs at the NDC, the distinguished diplomat was a Consultant in Public and International Affairs. Given his vast experience in the field, his expertise on the subject of Protocol Practice and Etiquette is much sought after. The Ambassador is married and the union is blessed with children. His hobbies include squash, golf, reading, traveling and the Arts.

Commodore Aminu Abdullahi was born on 25 September 1972 and hails from Gidan Mutum Daya, Yashe, Kusada Local Government Area of Katsina State. He had his primary education at Gidan Mutum Daya Primary School from 1976 to 1983 as one of the pioneer pupils and proceeded to Government Day Secondary School Rimaye for his junior secondary education also as one of the pioneer students from 1983 to 1985. He attended Government Science Secondary School Dutsin-Ma for his senior secondary education where he graduated in 1988.  Commodore Abdullahi had a stint with the, then, Department of Meteorological Services Lagos (Now NIMET) under the Federal Ministry of Aviation from 1989 to 1992 where he qualified as a Meteorologist Class 3. He later gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna as a member of 44 Regular Course graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Mechanical Engineering and subsequently commissioned into the Nigerian Navy as a Sub Lieutenant in 1997. He got promoted through the ranks at various times in the cause of his naval career and was promoted to the Flag Rank of Commodore on 14 August 2020.

Commodore Abdullahi attended the Sub Lieutenant Technical Course at Nigerian Navy Ship QUORRA, Marine Engineering Application Course at the Naval Engineering College Sapele and the Junior and Senior Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji. He also did his Defence and Strategic Course at the National Defence College Nigeria, Abuja and obtained a Masters Degree in Security and Strategic Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy.

The Senior Officer has served in various capacities at different ranks during the course of his career. These include Watch keeping duties onboard Nigerian Navy Ship ARADU, Marine Engineering Officer onboard Nigerian Navy Ships AMBE, OHUE, AYAM and LANA. The Senior Officer also held various staff appointments at different times which include Assistant Manager Yard Services Naval Shipyard Port Harcourt, Staff Officer Grade 2 Maintenance, National Defence College Abuja, and Staff Officer Grade 1 Technical, Naval Training Command. He was also appointed Fleet Marine Engineering Officer, Fleet Support Group East, Calabar, Officer in Charge Fleet Support Unit PATHFINDER Port Harcourt, and Fleet Maintenance Officer, Fleet Support Group EAST Calabar as well as Assistant Director Marine Engineering, Naval Headquarters Abuja.  He was Director Engineering Services Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, Kaduna and later General Manager Production Naval Dockyard Limited, Victoria Island, Lagos. He was also a Directing Staff at the Naval War College Nigeria, Calabar. Cdre Abdullahi was appointed Comdt Nigerian Naval Engineering College, Sapele and currently, he is the Director Academic Research and Analytical Support at the National Defence College.

Cdre Aminu Abdullahi is member of the Council for Regulation in Nigeria (COREN), Nigerian Institute of Management, Royal Institute of Naval Architects and Member Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology (United Kingdom). He also has the following decorations: Pass Staff Course, Forces Service Star, Meritorious Service Star, ECOMOG Medal, Fellow National Defence College and Distinguished Fellow of the Naval War College. At his leisure time, the Senior Officer enjoys reading biographies, watching nature and contemplation as well as travelling and playing volleyball.  Commodore Aminu Abdullahi is happily married to Hajiya Murjanatu Abdul Kareem and blessed with children.

Air Commodore Ayodele Keshinro Famuyiwa specialises in public affairs and strategic communications. He commenced his military career about 34 years ago when he was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy on 17 August 1990 as a member of 42 Regular Course. On successful completion of his cadet training, he was commissioned Pilot Officer in the Nigerian Air Force in September 1995. Among the professional military courses attended by the senior officer include Junior and Senior Staff and Command Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji-Nigeria; International Press and Information Officers’ Course at the Swedish Armed Forces International Centre (SWEDINT), Stockholm, and Higher Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the National Defence College, Nigeria.

In the course of his career, the senior officer has held both staff and instructional appointments. He has been a member of Faculty at the operational and strategic military training institutions, an opportunity that enables him to make tremendous contributions to human capacity development in the Armed Forces of Nigeria. He was a Directing Staff and later appointed the Director of Coordination at the Air Force War College, Nigeria. He was twice a Directing Staff at the National Defence College Nigeria prior to his present appointment as the Director Information Communications Technology. Other appointments held include Deputy Director of Information at the Defence Headquarters, and Media Coordinator/Theatre Information Officer, Operation LAFIYA DOLE. He has also served twice at different times as Spokesperson/Director of Public Relations and Information Management, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force.

Air Cdre Famuyiwa holds several academic qualifications, some of which include MSc Human Resource Management from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom; Master degree in Environmental Management from the University of Lagos, Nigeria; and BSc (Hons) Chemistry from the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna. His other qualifications include Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, and Diploma in Public Administration.

He is a member of the Chevening Global Community. His other professional membership includes the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), United Kingdom; Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), and Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

Brig Gen EC Emere is an Education officer, commissioned in 1993. He hails from Umunze in Orumber South Local Government Area of Anambra state. He obtained Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics from University of Maiduguri, Master of Science in Legal Criminology and Security Psychology from University of Ibadan as well as Master of Arts in Peace and Strategic Studies from University of Ilorin . He also obtained Post Graduate Diploma in Education from Tai Solarin University of Education. Brig Gen Emere is a member of Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria and Chattered Institute of Peace and Conciliation of Nigeria.

Since his commission, he has attended several courses in the Nigerian Army, among which include: Nigerian Army Education Corps Executive Management course. Brig Gen Emere has served in many formations /Units among which  are Head Quarters Nigerian Army Education Corps, Yaba Lagos, Command Secondary School Oshodi Lagos  as Commandant, Nigerian Army Archives Lagos as Acting Director,  Nigerian Military School Zaria as a Deputy Commandant. National Defence College Abuja as Deputy Director Curriculum as well as the pioneer Acting Director Education 8 Task Force  Division Monguno, Borno State.

He also served at Army Head Quarters Directorate of Civil Military Affairs. Others formations/Units he served include: Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria as Director Research and Development as well as at Army War College Nigeria as Director Curriculum Development. He also served at National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru as a Senior Defence Fellow He is currently the Director DHRA at NDC.

His hobbies include reading and watching nature. He is happily married to Mrs Uju Georgina Emere with Children.