Commandant Hosts Members of Nigeria–Turkey Military Dialogue Team
The Commandant, National Defence College Nigeria, Rear Admiral Osinowo, recently played host to a four Man Team from the Foreign Relations Department of the Turkey General Staff (TGS) headed by Air Commodore Necati Gunduz, at the Conference Hall of the College. The team was comprised of the Head of Foreign Relations Department of Turkish General Staff, Head of TGS–African Branch, Colonel Hahery Latey, Turkey Defence Attaché to Nigeria, Group Captain Mu’at Selehcuhli, and Lieutenant Commander Nimat Emrah, the TGS Head of the Military Training Cooperation.
While welcoming the team to the College, the Commandant expressed the desire of the College to build fruitful relationship with Turkey military in relevant ramifications. He observed that what Turkey is passing through today as a nation is a challenge, he however asserted that the Country has the knowledge and the experience to forge amicable resolution in that regard and that the College is ready to learn from these knowledge and experiences.
Furthermore, the Commandant informed the visiting team that the College invites experienced stakeholders in various field of endeavour from around the world to come and deliver lecture to participants. He equally disclosed the possibility of the College extending such invitation to senior members of the TGS to come and deliver lecture in the field of either economics, military or governance.
Rear Admiral Osinowo revealed that the College hosted participants from 16 various countries around the world. In addition, he affirmed that the College is a foremost military training institution in Nigeria and the entire African Continent that trains senior military officers from the rank of Colonel and its equivalent. He added that the College has Centre for Research and Strategic Studies that is conducting specialized research and offers training programmes. The Commandant asserted that “at the centre we do conduct seminars, workshops on tropical issues relating to security and national development”. Moreover, he stated that ECOWAS is in partnership with the College under which it conducts Senior Peace Keeping Mission Course for members of the Armed Forces and police. Giving his remarks earlier on, the leader of the visiting Team, Air Commodore Gunduz observed that there are many possible fields for military cooperation between Nigeria and Turkey. He specifically declared that the TGS, Nigerian Army and Air Force could share common experiences. He said that he was foreseeing Nigeria becoming a powerful country in Africa. In his words, “This our visit is the second military dialogue between Turkey and Nigeria; we have so much common experiences and we are ready to share it with you”, Air Commodore Gunduz further assured.
While giving an opening statement at the onset of the visit, Major General Ogunkale, the leader of the Nigerian Military Team that visited Turkey earlier on and also the senior officer that accompany the Team to the College explained that it was on the existing bilateral relations between Nigeria and Turkey that the military thought it wise to work out the possibility of military cooperation between the 2 countries in terms of training and otherwise. He explained that it was in this regard that the Nigerian Military Team that was headed by him visited Turkey and held dialogue. It was based on this premise that the second Nigeria-Turkey military dialogue was held in Nigeria, he asserted.
