Sultan, Ihejirika To Grace NDA’s Course 18 Golden Anniversary

The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Onyeabo Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd), will be among the eminent personalities attending the 50th anniversary of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) 18 Regular Course Alumni.

A statement by the president of the 18 Regular Course Alumni, Air Commodore Isaac Olufemi Oguntuyi (rtd), announcing the personalities described the event, billed for July 4, as an “historic testament to patriotism, leadership, and the enduring legacy of one of the most impactful cohorts in Nigeria’s military history.”

He said, “It is a national event that highlights what can be achieved through unity, sacrifice, and sustained leadership.

“With two iconic figures, the Sultan of Sokoto and General Ihejirika, gracing the event, the Course 18 reunion will serve as a mirror to the nation on how institutions can live up to their founding ideals.”

Oguntuyi, who has led the Course 18 Alumni since 2006, recalled the course’s inception on June 30, 1975, when 149 cadets from diverse Nigerian backgrounds underwent intensive training at NDA Kaduna to forge exemplary officers.

He said, “Though united by duty, their path was not without sacrifice. The death of Cadet C.O. Okupa during physical training and the tragic losses, especially the 1992 Ejigbo C-130 air crash, etched painful memories into our shared history. Today, only 47 of the original intake remain, a poignant reminder of time’s passage and the cost of service.

“Yet, what stands tall above this loss is the indelible impact NDA Course 18 has made, not only within military circles but across Nigeria’s social, spiritual, and political spheres.”

According to Oguntuyi, as Nigeria continues to grapple with challenges to security and unity, the story of NDA Course 18 offers a ray of hope.

“It reminds us that from humble beginnings, guided by discipline and service, a cohort of young men can grow to shape a nation,” he said.

NDA’s Course 18 alumni comprise notable figures like Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, who is the Alumni’s Grand Patron, and former COAS, Lt.-Gen. Ihejirika (rtd), alongside other high-achieving officers who rose to the rank of Major General and equivalents in the Navy and Air Force.

Sultan Abubakar retired from the Nigerian Army as a Brigadier General after he was appointed Sultan of Sokoto and president-general of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. He has since established himself as a champion of interfaith harmony and a prominent peacebuilder in Nigeria.