…AS CAS CALLS FOR PRUDENT MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has called on future commanders of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to lead by example, serve with courage, and manage with prudence.
He disclosed that under his leadership, the NAF has achieved remarkable gains in operational effectiveness, including the acquisition of 15 new aircraft, with 46 more expected in the coming years.
Also, Air Marshal Abubakar reiterated that the service has recorded over 3,000 sorties as of September and increased aircraft serviceability from 66 to 70 per cent.
These outcomes, he noted, were achieved through courage to reform, leadership to inspire, and prudence in resource management.
Air Marshal Abubakar gave the charge on Friday, 10th October 2025, while delivering a lecture titled: “From Vision to Reality: Strategic Leadership Insights from the CAS Command Philosophy” to students of both Senior and Junior Staff Courses of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji.
These were disclosed on Saturday, 11th October, 2025, by the Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force in a statement in Abuja.
According to Air Marshal Abubakar, these values remain the foundation of effective leadership and organisational transformation.
He also charged future commanders on mentorship, according to the CAS “mentorship bridges the gap between experience and potential, ensuring that institutional knowledge, professional ethos, and leadership wisdom are passed on to sustain operational excellence and continuity.
Addressing the officers, Air Marshal Abubakar emphasized that leadership is the most decisive factor in determining the success or failure of any organisation.
“Everything rises and falls on leadership,” he declared, stressing that the quality of leadership at every echelon of command directly shapes morale, discipline, and combat effectiveness within the Force.
He explained that the transformation witnessed in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) under his command is anchored on his leadership philosophy built around five key enablers: optimizing force structure, mission-oriented training, proactive logistics and maintenance, prioritizing research and development, and sustaining a highly motivated force through welfare and infrastructural renewal.
According to him, these enablers, driven by leadership by example, courage, and prudence, have strengthened the Service’s agility, resilience, and responsiveness in operations across all theatres.
“Our Command Philosophy was not born out of chance but out of deliberate vision and commitment to transforming the NAF into an agile and resilient force capable of meeting national security demands,” he stated.
Highlighting the principle of leadership by example, the CAS noted that he had undertaken over 40 operational visits covering 98 of 99 NAF units nationwide within two years. These visits, he said, were not ceremonial but deliberate acts of leadership presence designed to inspire troops and reinforce accountability. “Leadership is about presence, not proximity,” he emphasised, adding that such engagements have boosted morale and strengthened confidence in command.
Air Marshal Abubakar also underscored courage as an indispensable quality of command. Citing the 2023 Rukubi incident in Nasarawa State, he described moral courage as the ability to confront difficult truths and take responsibility even under pressure. Rather than deflect blame, he said, he chose to visit the victims and implement reforms that led to the creation of the, Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan, a framework that has since earned international commendation and contributed to the lifting of arms sale restrictions by the United States.
Under his leadership, the NAF has achieved remarkable gains in operational effectiveness, including the acquisition of 15 new aircraft, with 46 more expected in the coming years. The Service has recorded over 3,000 sorties as of September and increased aircraft serviceability from 66 to 70 per cent.
These outcomes, he noted, were achieved through courage to reform, leadership to inspire, and prudence in resource management. He further cited the establishment of new branches such as the Transformation and Innovation Branch, Directorate of Aircraft Life Cycle Management, and Directorate of Peace Support Operations as part of ongoing efforts to institutionalise efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
Charging the students to embody courage and integrity as hallmarks of command, the CAS urged them to lead with conviction rather than convenience. “The true leader plants a tree whose shade he may never sit under, but under which others will find rest,” he remarked. Air Marshal Abubakar concluded by urging the future leaders of the Armed Forces to translate vision into reality through exemplary conduct, moral courage, and prudent management.
“If you hold fast to these ideals,” he said, “history will remember you not merely as officers who served, but as leaders who transformed.” The lecture was followed by a vibrant and engaging interaction between the CAS and the future commanders, providing an opportunity for candid discussions, clarification of key leadership concepts, and the exchange of practical insights vital for command effectiveness and professional growth.
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