Army Commanders Swap Leadership Roles, As Brig. Gen. Edet Takes-over 9 Brigade, Brig. Gen. Akpaumontia Head 12 Brigade Lokoja
• Commanders hail COAS Faruk Yahaya, encourage officers to be hardworking and law-abiding
It was a day of tributes, salutes, and commendations yesterday at the Nigerian Army 9 Brigade HQ Maryland, Lagos as the erstwhile Brigade Commander, Brig. Gen. I E Akpaumontia hands over the reins of power of the 9 Brigade to another worthy Commander, Brig. Gen. NJ Edet.
In a remarkable swap leadership role, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report that Brig. Gen. Akpaumontia will be going in the opposite direction to his successor’s former role in Lokoja, Kogi State to assume duty of the Nigerian Army 12 Brigade, Lokoja.
NAOSNP can also report that Commander Akpaumontia had a rewarding time at the Maryland HQ home of the NA 9 Brigade. He took it upon himself to give infrastructural facelift to the Command and also championed better welfare of the officers there.
Notable projects under his watch included the innovative, gigantic Hippo Fountain which now forms an artful, beautiful centrepiece in the barracks. There, group photographs were taken yesterday. Also block of classrooms was added to make learning easy for children in the school. Street lighting powered by solar power was fixed within the Brigade HQ premises.
During the handover ceremony, there was a salute to the outgoing Commander, Brig. Gen. IE Akpaumontia who led the new Commander, Brig. Gen. NJ Edet on a tour of the office complex and the parade ground. There was also a decoration of the new Commander, Brig. Gen. NJ Edet.
Brig. Gen. IE Akpaumontia in his farewell address to the junior officers said: ‘Avoid all unnecessary troubles. You should know how there are some problems in town, avoid them as much as you can. Do what you are supposed to do in time and you won’t get into trouble. If you do the right thing, you won’t have need to say ‘abeg, I am sorry’.
‘By the Grace of God, it would not be too long from now that electricity supply will increase here. But switch off your lights during the day and don’t use electric burners.’
‘A new commander is here. He is Brig. Gen. NJ Edet. Soon he will have a time with you. Remember that discipline is our bedrock. Indiscipline is a no-no in the military. Always abide by the rules of our beloved military. We will meet again even if I am not in this infantry’, NAOSNP gathered.
Delivering his inaugural address, the new Commander of the 9 Brigade Ikeja, Brig. Gen. NJ Edet recalled: ‘When I left Academy in 1994 I was posted to this cantonment so this is where I was nurtured in the 19th Batallion then. So coming back here is very nostalgic bringing back memories of days when I was a junior officer.’
Brig. Gen. Edet told the officers, ‘I have watched you a couple of times when you took me around and also at the occasion we had yesterday, I look forward to working with you to ensure that the mission of the Army is achieved.’
‘I must say thank you to the Chief of Army Staff who found me deserving to become the Commander of the 9th Brigade where I started as Second Lieutenant. There is no substitute to hardwork and prayers. I want to implore you all to remain good officers and don’t hesitate when called upon to contribute to the wellbeing of the country. Be professional in your conduct and don’t do anything that will bring disrepute to the name of the Nigerian Army. I wish you well. We will interact more in a couple of days’, NAOSNP can report.
On the outgoing Commander, Brig. Gen. Akpaumontia, he said: ‘I will leave to Lokoja to hand over 12 Brigade to him. I happen to be the pioneer Commander of Nigerian Army 12 Brigade. It will go down in history that I am handing over to him. In all, hardwork pays. You will be recognized, so always give your best. God bless you all’
