By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Commandant, National Defence College (NDC), Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, says the participants of the college’s Course 32 visited no fewer than 23 countries on study tour.
Olotu made this known on Sunday in Abuja, during the Interdenominational Church Service to commemorate the graduation of the participant having completed the 11-month course at the college.
He thanked God for giving them the opportunity to see the day and for seeing them through ‘’yet another very rigorous but also very rewarding academic year’’.
“And during the course of this program here in the college, we have had reasons to be everywhere, not just within Nigeria, around the world, flying our flag and also learning from other countries.
“Every time we travel, God brought us back safely and there were no incidents recorded that will make us to feel sad.
“For this reason, we give all the glory to God, because He alone has been our sustenance.
“This year alone, we visited about 23 countries and we went to six states of this nation, while some went to as far as Fiji and some were in New Zealand and Guyana.
“We all returned in one piece. It could have only been God.
“It Is not just about the resources, but for God himself that stood up and followed us to all the places that we visited,’’ he said.
The commandant said that the course was inaugurated on Oct. 6, 2023, with 111 participants including 19 foreign participants and ending with the same number of participants.
He added that all the participants had met the requirements to successfully graduate from the college and be awarded the fellowship of the National Defence College.
Olotu urged the graduating participants to go out there, be better and make a difference in their respective organisations.
He also urged them to continue to hold on to God in their exercise of leadership with empathy and inspire hope in those that they lead.
“Earlier the Reverend had preached his sermon and he talked about the needed men.
“Yes, at a time like this in our nation and all over the world we have need for those calibre of men that he described.
“And one of the reasons why we do what we do here is to actually build the character of those needed men so that they can do those things that were exemplified in the sermon.
“The sermon also talked about the need for empathy, the need to inspire hope and every other aspects of leadership that we must bring to bear going forward in our organisations, in our nations, even in our homes.
“However, even when we have the men that are needed and they have the wherewithal in terms of ability, it is still very important to act,’’ he said.
In his sermon, the Chaplain (Protestant) of the college, Capt. Joseph Jacob, who titled his message, “The Need of the Moment” said there was a need to have the needed men.
The needed men, according to him, are the ones that can deal with anything, manage resources, manage situations and turn situations to opportunity.
Jacob said his message was exemplified in the lives of Jesus and Apostle Paul who inspired hope and also empathised with the people during their time.
He said that those principles should be cardinal for the participants as they go back to their various formation and service in different countries.
“As leaders, they must be able to inspire hope, empathise, and they must see the direction, and they must be able to lead people to follow the direction.
“Those are the four principles that are very, very fundamental in addressing the needs in our nation, in our various services and across the globe,’’ he said. (NAN)