At least 33 Nigerian Armed Forces Command and Staff College Students led by Brig Gen LA Adegboye are on a study tour in Uganda that commenced on 11th May 2019 and is set to end on 18th May 2019.
During their meeting with the UPDF Senior leadership at the UPDF headquarters Mbuya Hill, the UPDF Chief of Training and Recruitment[CTR] Maj Gen Willis Byarugaba, who represented the CDF Gen David Muhoozi welcomed the Nigerian delegation and lauded them for choosing Uganda as their study tour destination.
Maj Gen Byarugaba observed that there’s a need to maintain close regional cooperation between Uganda and Nigeria which is premised on the fact that both countries share a lot in common.
He also advised the visiting students to make Africa a better place by using African solutions to solve African problems through unity. He encouraged them to read a handbook by Kwame Nkrumah titled “Africa must unite or perish!” to get an insight of why Uganda is called: ‘The Pearl of Africa’.
The CTR cautioned the delegation to use their stay in Uganda as an opportunity to look ahead and extract opportunities that are beneficial to their country.
“Sharing our experiences broadens our understanding of the need for Pan Africanism in tackling African challenges; and this can be achieved through patriotism, sacrifice, discipline, among others” counseled Maj Gen Byarugaba.
In his presentation, the UPDF Deputy Chief Political Commissariate Col Barigye Ba Hoku who represented the UPDF Chief Political Commissar explained that Uganda’s development is built on the tenets of strong ideology and Democracy, Pan-Africanism and a clear path to social-economic transformation.
The head of the students’ visiting team and directing staff college of Nigerian Armed Forces Command and staff college Brig Gen LA Adegboye commended the Government of Uganda for spearheading poverty eradication and thanked UPDF Leadership for the well disciplined and professional Commanders. He also promised to use the acquired Ugandan experience in solving their problems back home.
The Nigerian Armed Forces College of Defense will, during their stay, visit other important places that include; Quality Chemicals Luzira, Uganda Rapid Deployment and Capability Centre [URDCC], Uganda Peoples’ Defence Airforce, Source of the Nile, among others.