By Lieutenant Colonel Onyechi Appolonia Anele on Tuesday officially assumed office as the first female spokesperson of the Army, marking a significant milestone in the military’s over 150 years of existence.
Lt.-Col. Anele took over from Major General Onyema Nwachukwu at a brief handover ceremony at the Army Headquarters in Abuja. Her appointment as Acting Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR) was approved by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, as part of a recent round of postings and redeployments.
In her first speech as spokesperson, Anele expressed deep gratitude for the trust placed in her, promising to serve with loyalty, focus, and results-driven leadership.
“I assure you and the entire leadership of the Nigerian Army that I will justify this confidence,” she said.
She lauded her predecessor, Maj.-Gen. Nwachukwu, for transforming the Directorate into a highly respected institution within the military. “Your contributions to enhancing the image and strategic communication of the Nigerian Army are remarkable,” she stated.
Anele called for continued support from the officers, soldiers, and staff of the Directorate and appealed to the media to uphold truth, fairness, and responsibility in their reporting, especially on defence matters.
“We will tell the Nigerian Army’s story not just through words, but through actions that reflect honour, sacrifice, responsibility, and service,” she pledged.
In his remarks, Nwachukwu, who served as Army spokesperson since June 16, 2021, reflected on his tenure, highlighting the modernisation of the Directorate and efforts to tackle the evolving challenges of the digital media era.
“I boldly confronted them with innovation, vision, and purpose,” he said, referencing the deployment of cutting-edge multimedia tools to meet the Army’s communication needs.
