The newly appointed Commandant of the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN), Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Alabi, on Wednesday, took over as the fifth commandant of the college.
Alabi took over from Maj.-Gen. Solomon Udounwa, who was redeployed to Army Headquarters and appointed Chief of Special Services/Programmes (Army).
The college Public Relations Officer, Maj. Muhammed Maidawa, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
In his valedictory speech, the outgoing commandant, Udounwa, congratulated Alabi, whom he described as integral part of the college, haven served as Directing Staff as well as Director of Studies prior to his recent appointment as commandant.
Uduonwa, while wishing him a fruitful and successful tenure, urged the college community to extend same cooperation and support given him, to his successor to enable the college to continue to succeed.
Alabi, however, promised to build on the legacy of the immediate past commandant and commended him for his purposeful leadership and mentoring of decades.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Alabi was among the five pioneer Directing Staff of the college when it was established in 2017.
He is a member of 41 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps.
The new commandant has held various appointments in command, staff and instructional capacity which included, member of Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji.
He was also the commanding officer, Nigerian Battalion 29 (NIBATT29) United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and Commander, 3 Brigade Kano, prior to his appointment as Director of Studies and Coordination at AWCN.
Alabi is also a member of Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) and a Senior Executive Fellow of the Harvard Kennedy School.
Some of the key military courses he attended include Senior Staff Course in AFCSC, Advanced Command and Staff Course in United Kingdom and Higher Defence Strategic Studies Course at National Defence College Nigeria.
NAN
