President Bola Tinubu has submitted a letter to the Senate requesting confirmation of Lieutenant General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede’s appointment as the Chief of Army Staff.
A statement from the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed that the letter, sent to the Senate on Friday, seeks Oluyede’s confirmation in accordance with Section 218(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act.
Oluyede was appointed Acting Chief of Army Staff on October 30, following the illness of Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, who passed away on November 5. According to the statement, President Tinubu expressed confidence in Oluyede’s leadership qualities, professional integrity, and extensive experience, believing they would be instrumental in leading the army and ensuring national security and stability.
Before his appointed as thr Acting Chief of Army Staff, Oluyede, a member of the 39th Regular Course, served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna.
He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992 and was promoted to Major-General in September 2020. Oluyede has held numerous command positions, including Platoon Commander and Adjutant at the 65 Battalion, Company Commander at the 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer in the Guards Brigade, and Commandant of the Amphibious Training School.
He has participated in several operations, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Mission in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and Operation HADIN KAI in the Northeast, where he commanded the 27 Task Force Brigade.
For his outstanding service in various operations, Oluyede has received numerous awards, including the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, the Field Command Medal, the Field Command Medal of Honour, the Field Training Medal, and the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award. Oluyede is married and has three children.
Engineer, Entrepreneur, forex trader and Analyst