The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has urged future commanders of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to lead by example, serve with courage, and manage with prudence, stressing that these principles form the bedrock of transformational leadership.
By Chimezie Godfrey
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has urged future commanders of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to lead by example, serve with courage, and manage with prudence, stressing that these principles form the bedrock of transformational leadership.
He gave the charge on Friday, 10 October 2025, while delivering a lecture titled “From Vision to Reality: Strategic Leadership Insights from the CAS Command Philosophy” to students of the Senior and Junior Staff Courses of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji.
Air Marshal Abubakar said effective leadership is decisive for institutional success, noting that “everything rises and falls on leadership.” He highlighted five key enablers underpinning his command philosophy — optimising force structure, mission-oriented training, proactive logistics, prioritising research and development, and sustaining personnel motivation through welfare and infrastructure renewal.
The Air Chief underscored mentorship as a bridge between experience and potential, adding that his over 40 operational visits across 98 NAF units were deliberate leadership engagements to inspire confidence and accountability.
He cited courage as essential for command integrity, referencing reforms implemented after the 2023 Rukubi incident that birthed the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan — a framework that later earned global commendation.
Under his watch, the NAF has strengthened operational effectiveness, acquired 15 new aircraft, and improved serviceability rates from 66 to 70 percent.
He urged future commanders to lead with conviction, moral courage, and prudence, saying, “The true leader plants a tree whose shade he may never sit under.”