Chief Of Naval Staff Goodwill Message On The Occasion Of The 67 Anniversary Celebration Of The Nigerian Navy

Chief Of Naval Staff Goodwill Message On The Occasion Of The 67 Anniversary Celebration Of The Nigerian Navy

Chief Of Naval Staff goodwill message at the special Juma’ah prayer on the occasion of the sixty-seventh anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Navy.

Protocol

May the peace and blessings of Almighty Allah, the Most Merciful be upon each and everyone of us. I am delighted to make these remarks on a special occasion as today to commemorate the Sixty-Seventh Anniversary Celebration of our Navy. I give thanks to Allah (SWT) for sparing our lives to witness this celebration despite numerous challenges that abound across the country. Please note that our nation is passing through a crucial stage in her history. As such, we all need to be prayerful, steadfast and faithful. It is also important that we remain peace loving citizens of our great country and abide by requisite principles that would foster unity in our diversity. Please recall that the Glorious Qur’an in Chapter 49 Verse 13 reiterates: “O you men! Surely, we have created you of a male and a female, and made you tribes and nations that you may know each other, surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the most careful of his duty to Him. Surely God is knowing, Aware.”

The strength of the yarn is in it being knitted together into a rope. In the same vein, our strength as a nation lies in our unity despite our diverse backgrounds, colour, tribe and religion. This unity is further espoused in the Nigerian Navy motto, “Onward Together”. Certainly, the commitment of the Nigerian Navy to the defence of the territorial integrity and peace of our dear nation is underscored by the Nigerian Navy’s collaborative and indelible performances in the discharge of her constitutional mandate towards protection of the nation’s maritime environment, her obligation to Internal Security under the aegis of Military Aid to Civil Authority and Military Aid to Civil Power as well as our contributions to global peace under the United Nations Peace Support Operations.

Notably, the security of the nation’s maritime space is being undermined by series of illegal activities perpetrated by criminal elements. Accordingly, the Nigerian Navy had to intensify her operational engagements to neutralize activities of these economic saboteurs in our maritime environment with resounding success. This has been made possible with the support of Mr President, Commander-in-Chief Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, culminating in the acquisition of modern platforms and the recent Presidential Fleet Review 2023, which showcased the Navy’s capability and strength. Furthermore, the Nigeran Navy, over the years, ensured personnel welfare through their physical, intellectual, mental and moral training as well as spiritual upliftment, is given prompt and due attention. Accordingly, this Anniversary provides us an opportunity for collective and individual introspection towards upholding the core values of the Nigerian Navy which are Professionalism, Integrity and Teamwork. I also urge you to ensure safety and legality are applied in all your endeavours. As such, we must utilize this occasion to rededicate ourselves with renewed focus, enthusiasm and hope, in line with my mantra “It is Our Navy” towards achieving a prosperous future for the Nigerian Navy.

Gentlemen, as we celebrate, let us be of goodwill to one another by improving lives of fellow human beings and work together to make the Service and Nigeria greater. Long live Nigerian Navy, long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Fair winds and Onward Together!