By Linus Aleke
A group of top retired and serving military officers, operating under the umbrella of Nigerian Army Direct Regular Commissioned Officers Course 04/93 Association, has pledged to harmonise the expertise of all her members to contribute to national development, peace and security.
The Chairman of the association, and former spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, made this pledge during the Maiden General Meeting, and 30th Anniversary Celebration of the association, held over the weekend at the Scorpion officers mess, Camp Wu Bassey, Asokoro, Abuja.
This is even as a Professor of Integrative Medicine, Prof. Osmond Oyeka, tasked the senior officers to always pay attention to their health, especially through what they ate.
He noted that well being is dependent on diet, while, advising the senior officers to understand their blood group, so as to eat foods, fruits and vegetables that are helpful to their blood type.
According to the Chairman, “This is 30th anniversary celebration and reunion, of Nigerian Army Direct Regular Commissioned Officers Course 04/93 Association. We are leveraging on the diverse expertise composition of the membership of this course, as you can see we are professionals in various fields of endeavour. We’ll continue to contribute for the betterment of society. It’s kind of work in progress, in the sense that We’ll harmonise the expertise of all these members to see how we can contribute better to national development, peace and security.
“It was very challenging but very rewarding in the sense that you can see that after 30 years we are still waxing stronger. We still have some of our colleagues who are in the Army, some have left and you can see many of them are outside the country, others are even working with the UN and other international bodies so it is a thing of joy. A thing of joy to have these wonderful people around. Some of them we have not seen for the past 30 years but you can understand the level of friendship as if it was just yesterday that we saw each other”.
The Chairman of the occasion, Brigadier General Tunde Ogbeha (rtd), said, the association is very important because as they grow old and the numbers continue to diminish, they will require each other to pull selves together.
He expressed joy about the presence of their spouses, noting that the celebration goes beyond just meeting together.
“There is memories to talk about during your training period but we have to do what we did in order to keep you in shape for your future assignments. I want to commend this association for the way you have pulled this together and working together for the common good and welfare of all members at the end of your service particularly when members of this association are from different sectors of the economy not necessarily like our own course that are regular officers, purely infantry . We don’t know anything other than management of violence. But for you, you have people who are doctors, engineers, nurses and professionals who have actually held very responsible positions in the NA today. I’m sure you have contributed so much to the progress and development of the Nigerian Army to the extent that some of you are still consultants to the Army in different form and shapes,” he said.
He counseled that beyond the association, they shall put in place legacies that will sustain the association, which will pass from their generation to their children and children, children.
Extolling the military tradition, he said, “that is the beauty of the military, you don’t think of where you come from but you think about your colleague. I know growing up in the military for 2,3 years even my roommate I didn’t know where he was from and the only way you will know whether somebody is a Christian or Muslim is when you are marched to the Church or when you are marched to the mosque, on Fridays, the Muslims are marched to the mosque and on Sunday, the Roman Catholic and he protestants are marched to church”.
While delivering a health talk at the occasion, a Professor of Integrative Medicine, Prof. Osmond Oyeka said holistic health is understanding that man is a tripartite being made up of body, mind and spirit and certain factors such as diet, environment and electromagnetic ignitions affect that holistic health.
These developmental factors and advances, he said, have changed the advent of diseases in the human body which sometimes may not be diagnosed by medical sciences.
He emphasized the imperative of monitoring stress levels, sleep more and have time for relaxation.
