President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became the first non-Nigerian Head of State to receive an Honorary Doctorate degree from the Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA) at its 23rd Convocation Ceremony and 59th Graduation Parade in Kaduna, Nigeria, on Saturday, September 8th 2012. 

The NDA conferred on President Sirleaf the Doctor of Management Science. Her co-honorees were Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, and Senator  David Mark, President of the Nigerian Senate, who received the Honorary Degrees of Doctor of Letters  and Doctor of Political Science respectively. 

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi delivered the Convocation Lecture on the implication of banking reforms for Nigeria’s security.

President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo, congratulated President Sirleaf and the other honorees for their accomplishments.

In her acceptance speech on behalf of the honorees, President Sirleaf expressed her deep gratitude to the Nigerian government and praised the NDA for its stellar track record in training the Nigerian military.  

“It is with great sense of honor and humility that I accept, on behalf of my colleagues, this distinctive Honorary Doctorate Degree from one of Africa’s most reputable and prestigious military academies, the Nigerian Defense Academy.  This Academy, with an outstanding history since its founding, has produced some of the very best of the Nigerian military.  The regimentation of its academic and professional military programs, and the quality of its output, has brought great pride, respect and dignity to your nation, the President said.

The President said she came with humble heart, on behalf of the People of Liberia, to thank the Nigerian government for the historical indebtedness of the service and sacrifice of members of the Nigerian army who have served in Liberia, and many of whom continue to serve in Liberia and other countries.  “Their accomplishments should forever inspire us in rendering selfless services,” she said.

The President also commented on the strategic partnership that exists between Liberia and Nigeria with Nigeria supporting Liberia’s overall reform agenda and development goals. 

“We have Nigerian lecturers, teachers, and medical personnel who are providing much needed services in Liberia today.  Major Nigerian banks and other investment portfolios are benefiting from our cordial and suitable environment for doing business in Liberia.  We have a Nigerian General, Major-General Suraj Abdurrahman, who is serving as Chief of Defense Staff of the AFL.  Major General Abdurrahman is a distinguished graduate of the NDA, and we are proud of his services in bringing credibility and discipline in the restructuring of the AFL.”

She also highlighted “Nigeria’s steadfast efforts in promoting regional peace and stability through the Economic Community of West African States.  ECOWAS remains a true beacon of our collective security and cooperation throughout the region.  Nigeria’s leadership in ECOWAS Standby Force is crucial in achieving the mission for which the force is being developed,” she added.

President Sirleaf was received at the NDA by Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State, the Minister of State for Defense, Mrs. Olushola Obada, Chief of Defense Staff, Air Chief Marshal Olusheyin Petinrin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Muhammed Umar, and the Commandant of the NDA, Major General C.O. Onwuamaegbu.

Shortly after her arrival in Nigeria on September 7th, President Sirleaf visited the ECOWAS Commission, where Vice President Dr. Toga Gayewea McIntosh and his commissioners were on hand to brief her about the status ECOWAS programs of direct relevance to Liberia in infrastructure, humanitarian issues, administration and finance, the signing of ECOWAS Supplementary Protocols and the deployment of ECOWAS volunteers in Liberia.

The ECOWAS Team briefed the President about the state of the Trans Africa highway to traverse Liberia and Senegal, the  gas pipeline along a route to include Liberia, the   West Africa power pool supported by the World bank,  and a 67 million Euros EDF-10 Program grant from the EU.  A navigation system for airlines was also being built with a Center for Navigation and earth station to be located in Liberia.  The tender for the equipment will be ready by December, 2012.   

Regarding humanitarian matters, ECOWAS assisted Liberia in 2009 with the control of caterpillar pests that attacked Liberian crops.  The organization also provided assistance last year to flood victims in Liberia and with the stabilization of the refugee crisis along the Liberian Cote d’Ivoire border with relief items and food costing $100 thousand currently in Monrovia awaiting distribution by the Government of Liberia through the World Food Program. About $1 million has been allotted to humanitarian projects in Liberia. 

On administrative and financial matters, the ECOWAS Council of Ministers have mandated a six month period for the review of structural and capacity issues affecting the organization.  ECOWAS has received 45 Expressions of Interests (EOIs), and has selected twenty for the submissions of bids.  It has engaged the World Bank to provide experts, who will assist with the review of human resource issues and internal controls, among other administrative matters. A preliminary report on these issues is due by December, 2012. By these methods ECOWAS hopes to meet its employment targets, including the hiring of nominees from Liberia’s Ministry Defense to assist with the training of the ECOWAS Standby force.

Dr. McIntosh told the President that an ECOWAS Mission will visit Liberia and Guinea soon regarding the ratification of 24 unsigned ECOWAS Supplementary Protocols. He said ECOWAS volunteers from English speaking countries have been assigned in Liberia to work on development problems.

Responding, President Sirleaf thanked Vice President McIntosh and the Commissioners for the warm reception.  She called for swift action on the resolution of the problems along the Liberia Cote d’Ivoire border, where there are still about 70 thousand camped refugees.  She said the issue of active ex-combatants along the border should also be confronted because it threatens Liberian as well as regional security.  The deployment Liberian military, immigration and police at the border is a financial burden that must also be resolved. The President said she has discussed these matters with ECOWAS Chairman President Alassane Ouattara, and Former Chairman, President Goodluck Jonathan. 

Regarding the Supplementary Protocols, she advised that the Foreign Ministries of member states should review all the documents to ensure their consistency with their laws before submitting them to the Heads of State for signing.   She also advised the ECOWAS Commission to be more proactive with sourcing donor funding from regional pool funds from the African Union, the African Development Bank and the European Union. The ECOWAS Commission should save limited resources for other strategic programs by reducing the amount of time it spent on conducting studies, she advised.

The President’s delegation to the NDA and ECOWAS included Defense Minister Brownie Samukai, the Commanding Officer of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Major-General Suraj Abdurrahman, and Dr. Al-Hassan Conteh, Liberia’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.