Major General Adeniyi Oyebade is the 28th Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). Before his current appointment, Maj. Gen. Oyebade served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Headquarters, One Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna where he played a key role in the fight against insurgency in the region and ensuring that extremists do not hold the nation to ransom.

He has at various times also acted as mediator to restore peace between warring communities. He was instrumental in brokering peace between Fulani herdsmen and the people of Kaduna South and thus bringing to an end incessant killings in the area.

According to him, “we agreed that, there will be immediate stoppage to all forms of violent activities from all the stakeholders. We want to encourage the setting up of peace and reconciliation committees at the ward levels, district level and the local government level by the Fulani herdsmen, the locals and other critical stakeholders in the various communities.

“It has also been agreed that children will stop being at the helms of grazing cattle in Kaduna state and in the North West zone, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has made that commitment that they are going to make sure that all children are prevented from shepherding their cattle because it has been identified as one of the areas of conflict because they do not know much about area that they are not supposed to graze their cattle.

Given his pedigree and accomplishments as GOC, his appointment as NDA Commandant did not come as a surprise but rather as a fair reward for professionalism and commitment to service.

Upon assuming his current role as Commandant of the NDA, Maj. Gen. Oyebade has embarked on various reforms to reposition the Academy. He has overseen capacity building seminars, welfare courses coupled with several renovations in the Academy to boost morale and develop greater capacity amongst officers and cadets of the Academy.

The NDA Commandant is indeed a dynamic leader. Being well aware of the realities that military battles no longer depend on weapons alone but how key technology has become in the fight against crime and all forms of criminality, it is in the light of this that he on behalf the Academy collaborated with the Nigerian Communications Commissions (NCC) to boost NDA’s technology infrastructure. This is indeed a welcome especially in these trying times that the country is faced with a number of security challenges.

The NDA under his leadership is very much aware of its social responsibilities. Not too long ago, he led the NDA’s free medical outreach to residents of Kutungare community at Afaka, Igabi local government of Kaduna state. Overall not less than 1000 people benefited from free medical services and received treatment and drugs for various ailments.

Oyebade has served in different positions and continue to do so. He has demonstrated high level of professionalism all through in the discharge of his duties, given no room to in whatever form. That has been evident in all he does, for him it has always been country first above all other interest.