An indigene of Ilorin, Kwara State, AVM Felix Olufemi Gbadebo was born on 06 August 1956 in Jos Plateau State. Due to the nature of his father’s job as a Police Officer, he attended many primary schools in Northern Nigeria before gaining admission to St Johns College Kaduna (presently known as Rimi College) from where he obtained his West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1972.

The AVM was then recruited into the Nigerian Air Force as a Potential Pilot and entered the Nigerian Defence Academy on 02 January 1973 as a member of the Short Service Course 5(SS 5). After Six Months Military Training, he proceeded to NAF Base Kaduna in July 1973 for Primary Flying Training as a member of Student Pilot Course 9 (SP 9).

In September 1974, the AVM left for the United States of America for Undergraduate Pilot Training and graduated as a Qualified Military Pilot in January 1976. He also attended the Pilot Instructor Training program in the United States of America from June 1979 to January 1980 where he qualified as an Instructor Pilot.

Other Courses so far attended by the AVM include the Aermachi Aircraft Type Rating Course in Italy in 1983, the Aero L-39 Conversion Course in the former Czechoslovakia in 1986 as well as the German Language Course and the Senior Staff Course in West Germany from September 1987 to June 1989. He Also Attended the National Defence Course in India in 1999.

The Officer has served as an operational Pilot on the MIG-15/17 and the MIG-21. He later served as an Instructor Pilot on the MIG­21, the L-29 Delphin, the Aermachi MB339 and the L-39 Albatross aircraft. He also served as a Directing Staff at both the Senior Division of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji and the National War College, Abuja.

The AVM has held the following appointments in his career; Chief Instructor, Basic Flying Training Wing; Commanding Officer, Instructor Pilot School; Commander, 303 Fling Training School Kano; Deputy Director Operations, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force; Commander Nigerian Air Force Station, Yola; Senior Air Staff Officer, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Makurdi; Deputy Director Training, Defence Headquarters and Director of Operations, Defence Headquarters, Abuja. He was the Air Officer Commanding, Training Command, Kaduna and currently the Air Officer Commanding, Tactical Air Command.

AVM Gbadebo is widely travelled, having visited the following countries; Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chad, England, Germany, Ghana, Holland, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Pakistan, Russia, Rwanda South Africa, The Maldives, United Arab Emirates and the United States of America. He is married with three boys and his hobbies include golf, squash, swimming and current affairs.