President Bola Tinubu implemented extensive changes to Nigeria’s armed forces on Monday, retiring all service chiefs and the inspector general of police. President Tinubu, who took office on May 29, has prioritized security and pledged reforms in the sector. These reforms involve increased recruitment of soldiers and police officers, as well as improved compensation and equipment for them.
To fill the position of Chief of Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ogalla, a rear admiral, was appointed, replacing Awwal Gambo. Mr. Ogalla, aged 55, hails from the Ezike Igbo Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State.
In 1987, he obtained the West African School Certificate from Nigerian Military School Zaria, where he graduated as the top student in Sciences, achieving A1 grades in all subjects except English language. He completed the Nigeria Defence Academy 39th Regular Course, earning a BSc in Mathematics and receiving the sword of honor as the best naval cadet in his course.
Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992, Mr. Ogalla steadily rose through the ranks, reaching the position of rear admiral in September 2021. In May 2000, he completed the Sub Lieutenant Technical Course (STC) at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) QUORRA. He then pursued further education at the Basic Hydrography National Hydrographic School in India. Upon returning to Nigeria, he completed the Junior and Senior Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) Jaji in November 2001 and July 2006, respectively.
As part of National Defence College (NDC) Course 22, Mr. Ogalla was designated a fellow defence college (fdc) in August 2014. During this course, he participated in the MSc Strategic Studies program at the University of Ibadan from 2014 to 2015.
Throughout his career, Mr. Ogalla served on numerous ships, including Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) AMBE, NNS EKUN, NNS DELTA, and NNS PATHFINDER. Notably, he was involved in the Economic Community Cease-Fire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Operations in Liberia in 1996 while serving on NNS EKUN. ECOMOG, established by a group of West African nations under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), aimed to end the civil war in Liberia that began in August 1990.
During his tenure as the Base operations officer at NNS PATHFINDER, Mr. Ogalla effectively coordinated anti-illegal bunkering operations and oversaw policing duties at the base. His efforts resulted in a significant reduction of illegal activities in the maritime area within the base’s jurisdiction.
Before his recent appointment, he served as the DLL at the Navy Headquarters in Abuja. During his six-year tenure at the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic School (NNHS), Mr. Ogalla instructed subjects such as geodesy, datum conversion, tidal predictions and analysis, satellite surveying, and bathymetry. As Commandant, he facilitated a partnership between the school and Teledyn Marines, a reputable Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in the United States. This collaboration enabled the Nigerian Navy to procure several survey equipment from the company, leading to improvements in practical training. He also played a key role in aligning the school’s curriculum with the requirements of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).
While serving at the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office (NNHO), Mr. Ogalla contributed to the localization of tidal prediction and analysis. Additionally, he participated in the FAO-sponsored Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem survey in 2004, providing professional insights during the survey and theand production of the NNHO charts.
He is a member of the Nigerian Hydrographic Society, the Nigerian Institute of Management, the International Earth Rotation Services and also a fellow of the Occupational Safety and Health Association of the UK. He is married to Ijeoma Ogalla and the marriage is blessed with two children. His hobbies include jogging, reading, listening and researching about science and nature.
Credit: Premium Times
