Sustained Collaboration Essential for Tackling Maritime Threats – Naval Chief
1. I am delighted to be in your midst this afternoon for the Closing Ceremony of Exercise OBANGAME EXPRESS 2023 flagged of days ago. I am also impressed at the immense successes recorded while associating together during the period of the Exercise. Indeed this type of engagement buttresses the saying of an American Industrialist and a business magnate, Henry Ford, who said and I quote “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success”, Un Quote. Exercise OBANGAME EXPRESS 2023 did not only bring us together, it created the environment to improve competencies by relating with one another, which to me is the secret of great success.
2. Pertinently, the Exercise debrief exposed distinct salient points and critical observations, which are apt, relevant and will remain valuable towards improving future exercises. I therefore want to appreciate the diligence of our indefatigable observers for a great job. I will also not fail to commend the level of preparedness for the Exercise, which manifested in commendable performance. This affirms that the objectives of the Exercise were achieved and therefore declared a success.
3. Let me at this juncture specially commend partner nations that dispatched ships to participate in this year’s edition of the sea exercise, particularly the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain. We are indeed inspired by the presence and participation of these ships. Undoubtedly, such efforts have certainly enhanced capacity development as well as facilitated a safe, more secure and enabling maritime environment for socio-economic activities to thrive within the Gulf of Guinea.
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4. I will not end these remarks without specifically acknowledging our United States partners, particularly the Africa Command towards encouraging and bolstering regional cooperation and collaboration. These include the sustenance of OBANGAME EXPRESS exercise since 2010, establishment of the Regional Maritime Domain Awareness facilities in coastal states across the Gulf of Guinea and sustaining capacity through the facility’s Training School at Apapa. Absolutely, these are powerful testimonies to the steadfast commitment of the United States Government to enhancing maritime security across the world. In particular, these efforts have greatly facilitated integration of organic national capabilities of navies and coast guards aimed at achieving holistic and sustainable maritime security architecture in the Gulf of Guinea.
5. Finally, permit me to reiterate that the magnitude of most maritime threats and their inter-connectedness, coupled with the fact that they provide such a diversity of impacts, demands that we keep coming together to fashion collaborative framed responses. I make bold to state that no single navy or Coast Guard can do it alone. It is therefore hoped that lessons from this exercise will be developed into collaborative action plans that will support strategic level initiatives to enhance our collective preparedness to successfully curb emerging maritime challenges in the ever-changing environment in the Gulf of Guinea and beyond.
6. Distinguished invited guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, once again, I acknowledge and appreciate all eminent personalities, organizations as well as friendly navies and coastguards including the Nigerian Navy participants that contributed in making the exercise a huge success. On this note, I have the honour and privilege to declare Exercise OBANGAME EXPRESS 2023 ended. Thank you, God bless and as we say in the Nigerian Navy, Onward Together, En avant ensemble, Adelante Juntos and Avante Juntos.
