Academic Directors – National Defence College, Nigeria

Commodore Olusegun Olukunle Soyemi was born on 1 July 1971 and hails from Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Navy
on 17 August 1990 and was granted Presidential Commission on 16 September 1995 as a member of 42 Regular Course Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). He is of the Executive Branch (Navigation and Direction) and was promoted to the rank of Commodore on 17 August 2018.

The senior officer has attended several courses, which include the Sub-Lieutenant Technical Course and Officers Long Course Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) QUORRA Apapa, Junior and Senior Staff Courses Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) Jaji, Joint Military Attache Course Defence Intelligence College Abuja as well as the National Security and War Course at National Defence University (NDU) Pakistan. He also holds a BSc (Hons) Degree in Mathematics from NDA and MSc in National Security and War Studies from the NDU Pakistan. Commodore Soyemi has held several appointments both ashore and afloat. He was Watch Keeping Duties NNS EKPE Liberia (98-01), Duties With Commanding Officer NNS OKEMINI (01-02), Navigating Officer NNS LANA (03-04), Staff Officer (Grade II) Ratings Naval Headquarters (NHQ) (04-05) and Staff Officer (Grade II) Academics/Training NDA (05-06). Other appointments the senior officer held were Military Observer United Nations Mission in Sudan (06-07), Instructor NNS QUORRA (07-09), Navigating Officer NNS NWAMBA (09), Directing Staff AFCSC (09-11) and Executive Officer Forward Operating Base Formoso (12-13). He also served as Staff Officer (Grade I)/Assistant Director Personnel Release NHQ (13-14), Chief Instructor Charlie Division AFCSC (14-15) and Executive Officer NNS PATHFINDER (15-16). He was a member of the pioneer Directing Staff at the Naval War College Nigeria (17-19) and Deputy Director Policy NHQ (19 – 20). Cdre Soyemi was appointed as Directing Staff at the National Defence College on 31 Aug 20 and became the Director Curriculum and Programme Development at the College on 18 Mar 21. The senior officer is decorated with the prestigious passed staff course (dagger), forces service star, meritorious service star and distinguished service star in recognition of his unblemished service to the Nigerian Navy and the Country. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the Naval War College and also a Member of the National Institute of Management as well as Member of the United States Naval Institute.

Commodore OO Soyemi is happily married to Mrs Adeola Soyemi and the marriage is blessed with 3 children. In his leisure time, he enjoys reading, listening to music, driving and keeping up to date with technology.

Air Cdre Saeed Abdullahi Madaki was born in Niger State, he had his primary Education at Model Primary School Suleja. He attended the Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Navy Town Lagos. He was admitted to the NDA in August 1992, as a member of 44RC. He graduated from the NDA with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Defence Studies, he also backed a Master Degree in International Affairs and Defence Studies from the same institution.

Air Cdre Madaki was commissioned into the NAF as a Pilot Officer in September 1997. He has attended several courses since commissioning into the NAF. He attended the Basic Intelligence Officer’s Course at the Nigerian Air Force School of Air Intelligence in 2001, Junior Command and Staff College at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College – Jaji in 2002 and the international Intelligence Officer’s course at the Defence Intelligence College, Pretoria – South Africa in 2004. Other courses include Security Investigation and Interrogation Course at the Nigerian Army Intelligence School Apapa in 2005, the German Armed Forces Command and Staff College Hamburg 2007 – 2009, Psychological Ops Course at DIC – Karu. He was also at the Defence Services Intelligence Academy Pakistan in 2010 for his Advance Intelligence Officer’s Course. The Senior Officer was also at the Joint Special Operations University at the McDill Air Force Base Florida for Special operations course in Combating Terrorism in 2013, he is a fellow of the National Defence College Nigeria.

In the Course of his career, the senior officer has held the following appointments; Admin Officer at HQ DAI NAF, Group Intelligence Officer at 81 Air Maritime Group, 88 Military Airlift Group and the 435 Base Services Group, Ikeja. Air Cdre Madaki was the Chief Instructor Strategies Studies at the Defence Intelligence College from July 2009 – Jun 2011, he was also Chief Instructor at the Ground Training Group Kaduna from Jun 2011 – Jun 2012 and Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College from Feb 2014 – Mar 2016 and was also the Dy Director Training HQ DIA. Other appointments held are; Comdt Nigerian Air Force School of Air Intelligence, Makurdi, Comd 119 Composite Group Sokoto and Dy Director, Directorate of Air Intelligence, HQ NAF. The senior officer speaks French and German Languages in addition to 3 Nigerian Languages. Before his current posting, he was the Dy Director Attaché Management, DFL (DIA).

Air Cdre Madaki is married and the union is blessed with children.

Ambassador Audu-Rafiu Olusola ENIKANOLAIYE was bom on 14th September 1959 in Igbagun, Yagba East Local Government, Kogi State, Nigeria. He obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Political Science from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria with First Class Honours in June 1981. Ambassador Enikanolaiye completed his National Youth Service in Lagos State in July 1982 before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an External Affairs Officer, Grade 08 on 4th August 1982.

He attended the Ministry’s one-year Foreign Service Academy in Lagos in 1984 and came top of his class. Thereafter, he obtained a Masters’ degree in International Law and Diplomacy (MILD) from the University of Lagos with Distinction in November 1992. Prior to this, he attended the University of Oxford, England for a postgraduate course in Diplomatic Studies from October 1990 -June 1991 and passed with Distinction.

In his diplomatic career, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye served in various capacities at home and abroad, including as a Special Assistant to the Special Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo on International Relations at the State House from November 1999 to April 200 I. While at Headquarters, he served as an active member of various top management and policy making Committees and bodies, especially in his capacity as Assistant Director, Deputy Director and Director in the Office of the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs where he served four Honourable Ministers.

Abroad, Ambassador Enikanolaiye served in many of Nigeria’s diplomatic missions abroad notably Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Belgrade, (Serbia), Ottawa, (Canada), London (UK) and lastly as Nigeria’s Head of Mission in New Delhi (India). He was also member of the Nigerian delegations to several Summits and International Conferences of the ECOWAS, the OAU/AU, Commonwealth and the United Nations, among others.

He has contributed significantly to the development and articulation of Nigeria’s foreign policy and diplomatic practice with emphasis on institutional development, security, development and peacekeeping matters, including the transformation of the Organisation of African Unity to the African Union, the evolution of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRNI) as well as on regional integration, among others.

He was appointed Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs effective 5^th August 2016 from where retired on 4^th August 2017 after 35 years of active, meritorious and unblemished service. In the course of his career, Ambassador Enikanolaiye visited over fifty (50) countries in different parts of the world.

He has published several articles in leading Nigerian newspapers and lectured extensively on Nigeria’s foreign policy at several fora within the Ministry, the Foreign Service Academy, the National Defence College, Abuja, Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State, the Nigerian Army War College, Abuja, and the Defence  Intelligence College, including the National Defence College of India, New Delhi, India.

He is a member of several professional bodies including the Nigeria Socicty of International Law, the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and the Institute of Directors (IoD).

He is the recipient of the twin 2017 Public Service Awards, namely, the Presidential Civil Service Merit Award and the Presidential Distinguished Public Service Career Award in recognition of his valuable contributions to the Service, making him the only Public Servant to have bagged both Awards in 2017.

He is currently on contract appointment as the Director, National Geopolitical Affairs at the National Defence College, Abuja, Nigeria.

He is married to Mrs Adunni ENlKANOLAlYE (Nee Olorunnishola) and blessed with three girls, a boy and three grandchildren.

Commodore Abolaji Abolade Orederu  is a member of the 40nr  Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy  (NDA).  He was commissioned into the Nigerian  Navy Engineering  Branch in   1993 .    He holds a Bsc in Mechanical   Engineering   from NDA Kaduna.  He also holds a Masters in International  Affairs and Diplomacy  from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

The senior officer has attended several military courses which include Officers’ Application  Course at Nigerian  Navy Engineering  College  Sapele,  Marine Engineering Specialization Course at Indian Navy Engineering  College, INS SHIVAJI Lonavla,  India. He also attended the Junior and Senior Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Kaduna. He is a graduate of the prestigious National Defence University Pakistan where he underwent the National Security and War Course and bagged a Masters in Security and War Studies.

He is a member of several professional bodies which include  Institute of Safety Professionals  of Nigeria,  Nigerian Society of Engineers,  Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and American Society of Safety Engineers.

Some of the appointments held in the course of his career include Engineering Watch Keeping Officer onboard NNS  ARADU,  Naval  Assistant  to  the  Chief  of  Naval Operations, Naval Headquarters, Assistant Marine Engineering Officer NNS AYAM, Flag Lieutenant to the Admiral Superintendent Naval Dockyard, Marine Engineering Officer NNS DAMISA, Base Technical Officer NNS Pathfinder and Deputy Fleet Support Marine Engineering Officer, Fleet Support Group West. Others are Directing Staff, Armed Forces Command and  Staff  College Jaji,  Manager Yard Services  Naval  Dockyard, Deputy General Manager Planning Naval  Dockyard,   Deputy Commandant,  Nigerian Navy Engineering  College Sapele,  Acting Director of Marine Engineering, NHQ, Commander Fleet Support Group Central, Director of Marine Engineering  (NHQ)  and Commodore Superintendent/MD   CEO,  Naval Shipyard  Limited.  He is  currently the Director of the Department of Academic Research and Analytical  Support National  Defence College, Abuja.

He is decorate with DSS psc(+) nswc fdc(+) B Eng POD (LOG) MIAD MSc CMILT MNSE MISPON. Abolaji is happily married to Mrs Olanike Orederu and they are blessed with 3 children. His hobbies include travelling, playing golf and squash as well as meeting people.

 

Air Commodore Felix Chukwuemeka Samuel Uwakara (Distinguished Service Star) was born in Ogwa, Imo State on 4 January 1971. He hails from Umuezealeze, Alaenyi Ogwa in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. The senior officer attended Comprehensive Secondary School Ogwa and obtained the West African School Certificate with Distinction grade.  Felix enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy, as a Regular Combatant Officer Cadet as a member of 42 Regular Course on 17 August 1990 and was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer on 16 September 1995. The senior officer attended several military courses and obtained various degrees and awards. Felix graduated from the prestigious National Defence College with the Brazilian Award for Best Research Paper in Science and Technology, NDC Course 26.

The senior officer’s civil qualifications include a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Nigerian Defence Academy and Post Graduate Diploma in Telecommunication from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.  He also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Conflict Resolution from OAU Ile Ife. The senior officer completed the post-NDC Masters Degree programme in Strategic Studies at the University of Ibadan; the award of the Master of Science degree in Strategic Studies.

The senior officer has attended several courses including the Officers’ Basic Course in Communication at CES, AFIT, Internet/Internetworking and PABX/Intercom, NITEL, MICOM 2R Radio Training Course at Danimex Denmark and Junior and Senior Staff Courses, AFCSC Jaji. Others include, Secondary Surveillance Radar Systems Principles, NCAT Zaria, Cyber Security Digital and Computer Forensics Training, Abuja and Defence and Strategic Course, NDC Course 26 as well as Air Defence Radar Training in China.

Air Commodore FCS Uwakara has served in several military units and establishments in various capacities and held various appointments. He was the Commanding Officer Admin Battalion at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre Oshodi and the Principal Staff Officer (Air) to the Chief of Defence Staff among a host of others. He was the immediate past Director of Radar Technology in the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters Abuja. He is currently the College’s Director of Information Communications Technology.

Felix is happily married to Gloria and has two sons and a daughter. He loves reading, jogging, playing Snooker, Football and Badminton.

Profile to be posted soon…