GLITZ, AS 81 DIVISION BIDS FORMER GOC FAREWELL WITH COCKTAIL PARTY

By Okosun Dennis

After he successfully handed over to the new General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division, Maj Gen Umar Thama Musa and other 11 officers, recently posted out of the division, were honoured with a cocktail party by both serving senior officers and civilian friends at the 81 Division Officers Mess, Marina on Tuesday night.

Other officers affected are the Commander, 81 Division Garrison, Brig Gen NMS Nagidada; the Chief of Staff, 81 Division, Brig Gen Ismail Oloyede, the Division’s Training Officer, Brig Gen Shuaibu Nuhu, and the Commander, 65 Battalion, Bonny Cantonment, Lt Col Amayuoyi.

In keynote remarks, Gen Musa expressed happiness and joy for the overwhelming support from officers and soldiers during his five months tour of duty. Particularly, he thanked God for sound good health to serve them.

In his kind words, the Commandant, Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), AVM Idi Gamso Lubo, who was the Special Guest of Honour, described the former GOC as an astatue, thorough-breed senior officer who ensures no vacuum is created while carrying out his responsibilities.

Earlier, the Chief of Staff, 81 Division, who has also been posted, Brig Gen Oloyede, outlined various achievements of the former GOC within five months in office.

Among various achievements were the ongoing Reconstruction and Renovation work of 81 Division Headquarters; 81 Division Military Intelligence Brigade; rehabilitation of Water Treatment Plant in Bonny Cantonment, renovation of a block of flats for Corporals and below at the 174 Battalion, Odogunyan, Ikorodu and the procurement of military band equipment for the 81 Division Band Corps among others.