The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) is a military university based in Kaduna, Nigeria that trains officer cadets for commissioning into one of the three services of the Nigerian Armed Forces: the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. The duration of training at the Nigerian Defence Academy is five years (four years academic and one year military).
N.D.A. | |
Motto | "Loyalty and valour" |
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Type | Military Academy |
Established | February 1964 |
Commandant | Major General John Ochai |
Students | ~3,500 |
Location | , Nigeria |
Campus | Afaka and Ribadu |
Battalions | Burma, Mogadishu, Abyssinia, and Dalet |
Colors | Green and red |
Website | www |
The NDA was established in February 1964 as a reformation of the British run Royal Military Forces Training College (RMFTC), which had been renamed the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) on independence. The military institution trains the officer corps of the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force. The initial class had only 62 cadets, and the trainers were mostly officers in the Indian Army. The Nigerian National Defence Academy (NDA) follows the pattern of similar NDA in Khadakwasla, Pune, India. The first commandant of NDA was Indian Army Brigadier M.R Verma. The NDA grew to an all Nigerian training staff only in 1978.[1] In 1981 itself began bilateral training of foreign militaries. In 1985 the academy commenced offering undergraduate programmes to Military Officers In Training and now also currently offers post graduate studies both for Msc and Ph.D for both military and civilian students alike. The central mission remains the training of young officer cadets in the 5 year "Regular Combatant Course" in which cadets are groomed in Military, Academic and Character development to instill discipline and leadership skills according to global best practices, culminating in the award of a bachelor's degree and presidential commissioning into the rank of second lieutenant for Army cadets or equivalent in the Navy and Air Force for respective cadets. Until 2011 this course used to be exclusively for males, the first set of female cadets commenced training in September 2011. As of 2019, its total cadet class is around 2500.[1]
The current Commandant is Major General John Ochai. He took over from Major Gen Ibrahim Manu Yusuf.[2]
Nigerian Defence Academy Library is the main Library that support both teaching and military training. The library acquired and developed information resources that meet the information needs of cadets, faculty members, officers and civilians staff.[5] The academy library was launched at the end of 1963 to facilitate and enhance effective learning.[6] The Library was finally moved to the permanent site on the 16 of June 2009 for effective teaching and learning to meet the objectives and the current Academy Librarian is Umar Lawal.[5][7]
The Cadet Brigade (CB) is one of the main organs of the NDA. There are a total of 2,990 Regular Combatant cadets in the Academy and 12 allied cadets from Burkina-Faso, Sierra Leone, Republic of Congo, Cameroon and Liberia. The Brigade is commanded by an Army officer and is designated as the Cadets Brigade Commander (CBC). The CB comprises the following:
The NDA Band is responsible for the provision of military music at regimental occasions such as POP, beating the retreat, dinner nights as well as dance band for social gatherings like wedding ceremonies, mess activities or as the circumstances dictate. The NDA Band headed by an Assistant Director of Music (ADOM).
Lyrics | Major J. E. Evans |
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Music | Captain Ime Tom Obong |
Lyrics[8] |
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Academy, my academy, our academy.
Academy mother of African warriors. Academy of wonders, fascination and adventures. Academy mother of all Generals, Admirals and Air Marshals. You indeed are the cradle of service with courage conviction and victory. Academy of indelible memories, dreams and visions. Academy Academy, in you I realized my potentials and in you I am what I am. Forever the academy, long live the academy Forever the Nigerian Defence Academy…
— CYBER BOSS |
Below is the chronological list of NDA Commandants: