The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (NNFOB), Bonny, within the week engaged in cleaning of the ultra-modern market, held a free medical rhapsody, and donated educational materials to schools in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Commanding Officer of the NNFOB, Bonny, Capt. Reginald Adoki said the two-day exercise was in line with the clear directives and strategic guidance of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, as well as in furtherance of its efforts at entrenching civil-military relationship.
The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Bonny, Rivers State, which is one of the combat formations under the Eastern Naval Command led by Rear Admiral Olusegun Oluwagbire, make up the Gulf of Guinea security architecture overwatching the Nigerian maritime space.
The series of events started on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 with a medical outreach at Greens Iwoama Community where medical treatment and supplies were dispensed to residents; and a visit to Community Model Primary School, Finima, where exercise books were donated to the pupils.
On Thursday, December 7, 2023, there was a clean-up exercise at the Bonny Ultra-Modern Market along King Asimini Bypass, followed by a visit to Government School, Bonny where exercise books were also donated to the pupils.
The climax was a special lecture on the “Importance of Girl Child Education in Society Building”, and an Interactive Session on Benefits of Joining the Navy at Government Girls Secondary School, Finima, where exercise books and sanitary pads were donated to the students.
Capt. Adoki appealed to residents to synergize with the Navy to amplify the peace and security of the area, urging them to avail the Navy necessary information to scale up its security governance of the area.
“The Navy has just come to show you the heart they have for you and as you see us carrying guns, it is for criminals but inside of us we share the problems you have and when we finish it’s for you to know that Navy no be like the thing we wey da think before, people da like us na so we be.”
“So, this is the only way we can show and appreciate the community and also to elicit your support, make una no fear navy. If there is a problem, call on the navy if you have information that can help the navy fight crimes always call on the Navy.”
During the medical outreach, the NNFOB, Bonny provided medical supplies including anti-malaria treated mosquito nets, and drugs, among others to residents of Greens Iwoama, Banigo, and William Jumbo, among other communities.
The NNFOB Commanding Officer thanked the Chairman of Greens Iwoama Community Development Committee (CDC), Amasenibo Emmanuel Green for coordinating the people and giving him and his entourage a warm welcome.
In his speech, the Chairman of Greens Iwoama CDC, Amasenibo Emmanuel Green lauded the Nigerian Navy for the gesture, appealing to them to always remember the community when it comes to corporate social responsibility efforts such as this.
“We are overwhelmed, and happy for this exercise being carried out by the Nigerian Navy and we appreciate it. In fact, we have not seen it for some time now. The Nigerian Navy has remembered us. We say thank you.”
“We would want the Nigerian Navy to help in providing an alternative jetty for us considering the tide when low and we also have a ring road connecting from Bonny to the village and light, power supply”.
Earlier, Medical Officer of the Base, Lieutenant Commander Muhammad Bello said the free medical rhapsody to the community was designed to address the health needs of the beneficiaries and also avail them necessary information to help them take care of their health.
“We are here to give you some health talk. What is expected of you is to conduct yourself and tell us the problems. Those things we are able to take care of we will take care of it right here but the ones we cannot that requires expertise we will refer you to the appropriate hospital.”
We will check your blood pressure, secondly, we consult and after that we prescribe drugs to you. Thereafter, we give you mosquito nets and tell you how to use it.”
During the clean-up exercise, the Security Advisor of the Bonny Ultra-Modern Market, Allwell Banigo, expressed his pleasure with what the Nigerian Navy has done, expressing optimism that the Bonny LGA Chairman would also be pleased as sanitation around the market and health of the traders have been her cardinal objective.
“In fact, it’s a very big job to me that the naval officers have to go to this extent after taking their job at the river and so many other places and today they decided to come into the market, the Bonny Big Ultra-Modern Market to show us that the market need to be more than clean.”
“So, I’m so excited and I believe that my Local Government Chairman – she’s a very good woman and also a clean woman that is forcing people to clean the market. If you come to the market you will see that so many jobs are going on in the market to make sure that the place is well tidy.
Explaining the essence of the donations, the Executive Officer of the NNFOB, Commander Gerald Daloeng, who was accompanied by other senior officers, said the decision to donate educational materials to the schools was to strengthen the cordial relationships between the community and the Nigerian Navy.
“As part of activities that the Base has outlined as corporate social responsibility, we are here to give some token on behalf of the Base. We had a similar activity at Community School 1, Finima.”
“There was a Medical Rhapsody in another part of the island. As I speak with you there is a cleaning exercise going on at the ultra-modern market here in Bonny and we are also here to give a similar gesture as we did at the community school yesterday.”
“Like I said yesterday, the Navy and, indeed, the armed forces as a whole is a very friendly force. It is contrary to what people believe. The Navy is your Navy. It is not a Navy of Ghana or Cameroun; it is the Nigerian Navy.”
In an interview shortly after the event at GGSS Finima, Commanding Officer of the NNFOB, Capt. Reginald Adoki averred that the programme was to highlight the importance of educating the girl child, as well as enlightening them on what they can do in their own little ways to impact positively on the society.
He said that such outreach would stimulate the interest and desires of the youths in the community to aspire to a career in the Nigerian Navy, urging them to partner with the Nigerian Navy in their bid to make the society secure, safe and conducive for all.
Sub Lt. Temilade Egbewunmi delivered the lecture on Importance of Girl Child Education and Career Opportunities in the Nigerian Navy, and was assisted by Sub Lt. Blessing Onyeaghala, Sub Lt. Rita Asoona in moderating the interactive session and donations. Lt. Oluwatobiloba Alawoki was the master of ceremony for the event.
Part of the presentation was the rendition of several Nigerian women who attained lofty heights in their career through education and exposure and a short video clip of opportunities for females as well as females who excelled in diverse roles in the Nigerian Navy.
Questions were entertained from the students ranging from recruitment processes to access to information from the Base, to which answers were also given with Commanding Officer declaring affirmative action for access to the Base for all students of the school.
In separate interview with Kristina Reports, the Principal and Senior Prefect of the school, Christiana Tamuno-Omubo, and Divine Brown, respectively, expressed delight over the sensitization lecture and interactive session, saying this would draw the girls back to their books and also redirect their steps to positive objectives, expressing the hope that they wish to see more of this.
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