History of the Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA)

BF
The National Defence Academy (NDA) is the Joint Services academy of the Indian Armed Forces, where cadets of the three services, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force train together before they go on to pre-commissioning training in their respective service academies. The NDA is at Khadakwasla near Pune, Maharashtra. It is the first tri-service academy in the world.
NDA alumni have led and fought in every major conflict in which the Indian Armed Forces has been called to action since the academy was established. The alumni include 3 Param Vir Chakra recipients and 9 Ashoka Chakra recipients. National Defence Academy has produced 27 service Chiefs Of Staff till date. Current Chiefs Of Staff of theArmy, the Navy and the Air Force are all NDA alumni.

Read Also: History of the Nigerian Air Force

History

The NDA was established in 1964 and charged with the role of training military officers for the Defence need of independent Nigeria. From its establishment in 1964, the graduates of the NDA were awarded National Certificates of Education (NCE) apart from being commissioned into the officer cadre of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The examination was prepared and conducted` by the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. In 1985 the academy was upgraded to a degree awarding institution. Apart from the regular cadet, the institution also runs Short Service and Direct Short Service for holders of Degree and Higher National Diploma from Universities and Polytechnics. In 2005 president Olusegun Obasanjo commissioned the post-graduate school which commenced its activities in the 2005/2006 academic session.

The institution also recorded tremendous achievement by producing many prominent military officers in Nigeria who contributed to the maintenance of peace in the country and abroad. Moreover, some of the products of NDA wrote a number of textbooks that are being used in Nigerian tertiary institutions. The contribution of NDA was thus beyond military training but also in the intellectual arena. Despite the achievement of NDA, the institution has faced numerous problems, Such as favoritism in the recruitment of candidates. This research was carried out with primary and secondary sources.  Until 2011 this course used to be excessively for men, the first set of female cadets commenced training in September 2011. As of 2018, its total cadet class is around 2000. The current Commandant is Major General Adeniyi Oyebade.

Read Also: The History of The Nigerian Army

Vision Statement of NDA

The vision of the NDA is to produce officers with broad-based training in both military and academic subjects designed to serve as a foundation for the future progressive development of officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Mission Statement of NDA

The mission of NDA is to provide each officer cadet with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to meet the requirements of a military officer through military, academic and character development.

 

Author: BF

light sleeper, heavy dreamer.

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