NAF Commissions School Project in Akwa Ibom as Air Chief Receives Traditional Honour

By Zainab Uzomah| Abuja

The Nigerian Air Force has commissioned a new block of classrooms and staff offices at Edemaya Unity College in Ikot Abasi, in a move officials say reflects its deepening civil–military relations

The project, inaugurated on 20th February, was accompanied by the conferment of a traditional title on the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke. Community leaders bestowed on him the honour “Ufan Edemaya”—meaning Friend of the People of Edemaya—in recognition of the Service’s developmental interventions in the area.

In a statement signed by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the NAF said the intervention is part of its efforts to strengthen ties with host communities while supporting national development.

Representing the Air Chief at the event, the Chief of Civil–Military Relations, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, said the school project forms part of the NAF’s Special Intervention Project, designed to strengthen trust and cooperation between the military and local communities across the country.

The newly delivered facility includes three classrooms, a principal’s office and staff rooms. It was executed in honour of retired senior officer Air Vice Marshal Iboro Harry Etukudo, an indigene of the state.

AVM Gabkwet said the intervention aligns with the Service’s non-kinetic strategy, adding that ten similar projects have been carried out nationwide. He said the initiative also serves to acknowledge the contributions of retired officers while improving socio-economic development at the grassroots.

In remarks delivered on his behalf, the Air Chief commended AVM Etukudo for selecting a project that addresses an urgent educational need. He urged students and community members to safeguard the new facilities and encouraged residents to continue cooperating with security agencies.

AVM Etukudo, who enlisted in the military in 1985 and retired after four decades of service, thanked the NAF for the recognition. He explained that the new block marks the start of development at the permanent site of Edemaya Unity College, established to accommodate students unable to secure places in government schools. He appealed to the Akwa Ibom State Government to consider taking over and expanding the school.

Representing the state governor, the Commissioner for Education, Professor Ubong Essien Umoh, praised the Air Force for supporting grassroots education, saying the project aligns with the government’s agenda to upgrade learning infrastructure.

Community leaders also presented a staff of honour to the Air Chief, describing the gesture as a symbol of enduring partnership.