The President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, has reminded the Armed Forces of its sacred duty of holding in trust for the Nigerian people the military might and see itself as the ultimate defender of its territorial integrity as well as independence against all adversaries.
To achieve the objectives Mark tasked the leadership of the military to double its efforts in the training of its personnel, upgrading equipment, institutions, improve research and development in tandem with global development of military capability.
These were contained in his acceptance remark after he was conferred with an honorary Doctorate Degree of Political Science by his alma mater, the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna at the weekend.
At the ceremony, the President of the Republic of Liberia, Mrs. Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, was awarded Doctorate Degree of Management Science while former CommonWealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, received an honourary Doctorate Degree of Letters.
Mark noted that the nation was passing through security challenges but pointed out: “These challenges are indeed not insurmountable if we collectively come together to confront it. It could be seen as a passing phase in the nation’s tortuous journey to achieving an enduring democracy.
“We recognise the fact that the armed forces have played significant role in maintaining peace and order in the present dispensation and must be encouraged to do more by way of capacity building and upgrading its equipment and materials.”
To the graduates, Mark enjoined them to enlist in pioneering the new push at rebranding the Nigerian Armed Forces as a modern corps, adding: “You must always see your responsibility as an honour to fatherland and endeavour to lay solid foundation upon which future generation of officer corps shall build upon.”
The president of the Senate reassured the Armed Forces that the National Assembly particularly recognises the strategic role the military has been playing in sustaining the present democratic order, saying: “We shall continue to provide support for the development of our armed forces to guarantee your welfare and enhance professionalism.”
Recalling with nostalgia his days as a Cadet at the NDA, Senator Mark stated: “I have always counted myself privileged and eternally grateful to God to have passed through this foremost military academy that prepared me to face the vicissitudes of life and made me what I am today.
“This honour therefore has a special place in my heart and I will cherish it for the rest of my life.”
Mark graduated from the NDA as part of the 1969/70 set.
He belonged to the 3rd Regular Course.