By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Army to promoting gender inclusiveness and integration in all its activities and operations.
Lagbaja made this known at the opening of a one-week Leadership and Mentoring Course for Senior Female Officers in the Nigerian Security Sector Institutions on Monday in Abuja.
The course was organised by the National Defence College (NDC) Centre for Strategic Research and Studies in collaboration with the UN Women and German Government.
Represented by the Deputy Chief of Training (Army), Maj.-Gen. Olusegun Abai, the COAS said that the Nigerian Army had long recognised the importance of female officers to peace dynamics.
He said that more than ever before, the inclusion of women was important to peace and initiatives such as this course, were vital stepping stones towards achieving that goal.
”The Nigerian army is an institution committed to principles of equality, professionalism, and service to the nation.
”Throughout its history, it has prided itself on adapting to the needs of the country, maintaining high standards of excellence, and reflecting the diversity of Nigeria in all its ranks.
”Over the years, we have increasingly recognised the need for gender inclusivity, not just as a moral imperative, but as a functional necessity.
”The efforts of the Nigerian army towards gender inclusivity are rooted in the understanding that true strength lies in diversity.
“It is this diversity that allows us to be adaptive, resilient and capable of tackling the real challenges that confront our nation.”
Lagbaja said that the course was a remarkable initiative under the umbrella of the enhancing gender responsive security operations and community dialogue project.
He added that the event had brought to the fore the indispensable contribution that women make in the realm of security, peacebuilding, and national development.
According to him, women are key to enhancing our security institutions for personal effectiveness and cultural awareness, with their unique strength and capabilities.
In his remarks, the Inspector -General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, represented by AIG Aishatu Abubakar, said that the Nigeria Police Force management had been intentional about mentorship.
Egbetokun said the police had over the years, implemented different reforms, especially projects that had to do with mentorship specifically for women police.
According to him, the Force has had different engagements with its stakeholders, including the UN Women, and other stakeholders.
”We know that mentorship is very important if you want to have good leadership and we have started right from our police colleges and academies to identify women and mentor them through our very experienced female officers.
”This is intentional so that we will be able to share from our experiences.
”So we need to intentionally mentor our young women so that we are able to move together to this position of leadership and sit on the decision table together,” he said.
In the same vein, the Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Audi, said the course would provide participants with the skills necessary to lead as well as serve as a platform for guidance and mentoring that would be invaluable to their careers.
Audi, who was represented by Commander Charles Opera, said that employing women in leadership would ensure that the security institutions were ever balanced and equipped to address the complex challenges of today.
”We are preparing them to take on more strategic roles in the defence and executive of our nation,” he said. (NAN)