The Admiral Superintendent, Naval Shipyard Limited (ASNSL), Rear Admiral Ikenna Ugochukwu Ubani, recently delivered a lecture titled “Lessons in Command: Personal Experience in Engineering Command” to participants of Command Level Officers’ Course 9 of the Naval War College Nigeria (NWCN). The lecture was designed to prepare the participants for future command responsibilities by sharing practical lessons from his experience commanding NSL, while reinforcing the universal principles of effective command and leadership in the Nigerian Navy (NN).
During the lecture, Rear Admiral IU Ubani noted that command is a position of trust and responsibility that requires sound judgement, professional competence, accountability and the ability to translate organizational objectives into tangible results. He identified leadership, management and authority as key pillars of command, stressing that successful commanders must demonstrate character, loyalty, decisiveness, courage, selflessness and initiative in the discharge of their duties. The Admiral Superintendent further emphasized the importance of adequate preparation for command through professional military education, relevant courses, operational and administrative appointments, as well as mentorship and accumulated experience. Drawing from his experience as ASNSL, the Guest Speaker underscored the importance of innovation, personnel development and sustainable infrastructure in enhancing institutional effectiveness. He further stressed that constructive engagement with host communities, corporate social responsibility initiatives and collaboration with security agencies is critical to creating a supportive environment for successful command.
The successful conduct of the lecture provided participants with practical insights into the demands of command, particularly the need to balance effective leadership, personnel management, technical competence and resource optimization. It further reinforced the importance of responsible leadership and strategic management in preparing the CLC 9 participants for higher responsibilities in the NN.
