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History of The Nigerian Air Force |
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Former Chiefs of Air Staffs
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Brigadier Emmanuel E Ikwue(1969-1975) |
Brigadier Emmanuel Ebije Ikwue also belonged to the first crop of Officers that
were seconded to the NAF from the Nigerian Army.
He took over command of the NAF
on 19 December 1969. He was faced with the post-civil war reorganisation of the
NAF. This re-organisation witnessed the establishment of additional units and formations
and the restructuring of the whole force.
Brigadier Ikwue was born on 6 June 1940 in Otukpo, Benue State. He attended
the Methodist Central School Otukpo after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Military
School from 1954 to 1958. He enlisted into the Nigerian Army and was sent for training
as a member of Course 11, Regular Officers
Special Training School Teshie, Accra, Ghana (1958 – 1959). Thereafter he attended the Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot
England and Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (1959).
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He was commissioned in 1961 and posted to 1st Battalion Enugu. In 1962 he served
in a peacekeeping operation in the Congo under the auspices of the United Nations.
In 1963, he was appointed Staff Captain (A) to Late Brigadier Maimalari, the then Commander of
2 Brigade NA. It was while serving in this capacity that he was seconded
to the NAF. On secondment to the NAF, Brigadier Ikwue underwent an air force indoctrination
and orientation training in Germany between 1963 and 1964.
On return from Germany, he was appointed as Senior Air Officer Administration at HQ NAF, Lagos in 1965 with a German as his adviser. It was in this capacity that
he established the Service numbering for NAF officers. In 1965, Brigadier Ikwue
was appointed Nigeria’s Military Attaché to Germany by Late Prime Minister Tafawa
Balewa. In Germany, he was responsible for all military matters in all the Nigerian
Embassies in Eu155 rope. In 1968, he was appointed the Doyen, head of Military Attaché
Referat (Corps) in Germany. Thus he became the first African and first non-NATO
General to head the Corp which had Military Attachés from 35 countries. In 1969,
Brigadier Ikwue was recalled and appointed the fifth commander of the NAF and member
of the Supreme Military and Federal Executive Councils. He was the first officer to be officially designated as the Chief of the Air Staff. He held this appointment
until his retirement in 1975.
Reflecting on his achievements while in office, Brigadier Ikwue stated that he ensured
that all NAF training was conducted abroad in order to consolidate the initial efforts
of the Germans. He also stated that he emphasised excellence in the training of
NAF aircrew, thus NAF pilots were trained mainly in Russia and the United States
of America. The NAF C-130 aircraft were negotiated for and ordered during his administration.
Training remained his utmost priority throughout his tenure.
In recognition of these services to the nation he was awarded the Independence Medal,
the Congo Medal and the Long Service and Good Conduct Medals. The NAF on its part,
recognised his services with the award of
the Distinguished Service Medal and Distinguished Flying Star. Brigadier Ikwue on retirement went into quarrying. He was also at one time the Chairman, Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry. He is at present, the
Chairman, Board of Directors, Ashaka Cement Plc. He also acquired a Bachelor’s degree
in theology on retirement. |
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