The newly appointed Director of Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Onyinyechi Anele, has pledged to lead the Directorate with transparency, professionalism, respect, and proactiveness.
The pledge was contained in her maiden address made on Tuesday, during the handing and taking over of command of the Directorate at the Army Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Abuja.
The NA had, last week, named Anele as the acting director of Army Public Relations, to succeed Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu. By the appointment, Anele is the first woman to hold the position in the history of the Nigerian Army.
Expressing a deep sense of honour, humility and gratitude to Almighty God, Anele said it is not a moment she takes lightly “not only because of the enormous responsibilities that come with this office, but also because of the expectations and most importantly, the historic significance” of her appointment.
While thanking the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Oufemi Oluyede, to whose visionary leadership she owes the opportunity to serve, for finding her worthy of the appointment, Anele also assure him and the entire leadership of the NA that she will justify the confidence by remaining absolutely loyal, committed, focused and results-driven.
The new Army spokeswoman also paid glowing tributes to her predecessor, Maj. Gen. Nwachukwu, “whose passion, resilience, and professionalism laid a formidable foundation and transformed the Directorate of Army Public Relations to this enviable state”.
“Your contributions to enhancing the image and strategic communication of the Nigerian Army are remarkable over the years you served as Director. Sir, you remain an integral part of the DAPR family, and I will always value your counsel and support”, she said.
To the media, particularly defence correspondents, whom she referred to as the Army’s partners in progress, Anele commended their professionalism in reporting military activities, and encourage them to sustain the tempo. She however called for the upholding of truth, fairness and responsibility in our engagements for the good of our great country, Nigeria.
Lt. Col. Anele expressed appreciation to all Nigerians for their trust and support to the NA, and called for continued support to the Service as she works tirelessly to safeguard the nation’s peace, unity, and sovereignty.
“We will continue to tell the Nigerian Army’s story, not just through words, but through actions that reflect honour, sacrifice, responsibility and service to the nation”, she said, while imploring officers, soldiers and civilian staff of the Directorate to remain loyal, hardworking, focused and united, “knowing that with shared vision and collective effort, we will take Army Public Relations to greater heights”.
Earlier, in his farewell address, the outgoing Director, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, expressed a profound sense of gratitude to God for what he called an “eventful and fulfilling almost four-year tenure”, and described the occasion as a moment of reflection and appreciation, “an opportunity to take stock of the journey we have shared and the strides we have collectively made in enhancing the image and narrative of the Nigerian Army”.
Nwachukwu described his assumption to the responsibility as head of the Directorate in June 2021,
as an era defined by the rapid evolution of the digital media landscape, the proliferation of information channels and the relentless demand for timely, accurate and strategic communication.
“I knew that to remain relevant and effective, I had to modernize, adapt, and lead the media war from the front. Today, I dare to say with confidence that I did not merely react to these challenges, I boldly confronted them head-on with innovation, vision, purpose”.
He further revealed that one of the major milestones was the retooling of the Directorate with cutting-edge multimedia equipment, positioning them to respond swiftly and professionally to both operational and non-operational media engagements.
Other achievements, the outgoing Director revealed, was the facilitation of specialized local and international training for the officers and soldiers, exposing them to global best practices in strategic communication, crisis messaging, digital warfare, and media analytics and the establishment of a fully functional Strategic Communications Centre which he described “as a testament to our resolve to institutionalise deliberate and well-coordinated messaging, and the berthing of the first ever Nigerian Army Online TV, a state-of-the-art studio at the Army Headquarters, purpose-built for the production of audio-visual contents, documentaries, news features and broadcast.
“This, I must assert, have significantly enhanced the media reach, engagement, and public perception of the Nigerian Army. Through this platform, the voice of the Nigerian Army now resonates louder and clearer, both within and beyond our borders”.
Nwachukwu added further that he ensured deepened relationships with traditional and new media actors, built bridges of understanding, and amplified the narratives of gallantry, resilience, and professionalism “that define our troops on the front lines”.
“It has indeed been a journey of transformation, of redefining army public relations, not just as a support service, but as a strategic arm in contemporary warfare and national security management”, he said.
Maj. Gen. Nwachukwu expressed deep gratitude to his supporters at the Directorate for their dedication loyalty, and commitment which were the wind beneath his wings.
He also expressed heartfelt appreciation to all the former Chiefs of Army Staff, and the incumbent, Lt Gen Olufemi Oluyede, for their trust, guidance, and unflinching support.
“Your vision for a professionally responsive Nigerian Army inspired us to reach beyond the ordinary and to leave no stone unturned in projecting the values, operations, and triumphs of our beloved Army”.
While also appreciating the media, “who over the years have gone through the thick and thin, relentlessly and untiringly weathering the storm with us in our effort at eradicating security challenges in troubled parts of our country”, Nwachukwu urged them to keep in mind that the defence of our beloved country, Nigeria and the protection of her people must be our watch words.
To his successor he said: “the foundations have been laid by our founding fathers, upon which we have continued to build; the tools are in place. Take the Directorate to even greater heights. I am confident that you will carry the torch with purpose, passion, and integrity”.
