Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has, on behalf of the Government and good people of Abia State sent a message of congratulations to the newly appointed Provost of the National Defence College of Nigeria, His Excellency, Ambassador Dr. Chijioke Wilcox Wigwe, an indigene of the state.
Formerly known as the National War College, the National Defence College of Nigeria is the apex Military Institution in Nigeria where very senior officers of the Nigerian Military, mostly Generals, are trained in policy formulation, Defence matters and strategic studies. It ranks higher above both the Nigeria Defence Academy where military Cadets are trained and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies where middle level officers are trained.
The College serves both the Nigerian military and several African countries.
With this appointment, Ambassador Wigwe is the highest ranking non Military Officer in the management of the institute and is only lower than the College Commandant, Deputy Commandant and College Secretary whose ranks are not below two star Generals.
Ambassador Dr. Wigwe, Fellow of the War College and a Distinguished Fellow of the Nigeria Defence College is a first class career diplomat and a global authority in international relations, Defence and Strategic Studies.
He holds a 1976 Bachelors Degree from the University of Lagos and a 1981 Phd from the University of Exeter, United Kingdom. He holds a 1991 Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism from the London School of Journalism.
After a short stint as a University teacher at the Universities of Calabar and Jos, he joined the Diplomatic Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1984 and rose through the ranks until his appointment as Nigeria's High Commissioner Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Kenya in 2008. Within the same period, he was also High Commissioner to the Republic of Seychelles as well as Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlement Program ( UN -HABITAT) both headquartered in Nairobi Kenya.
Before then, he was between 2002 and 2003, Director in the Office of the Foreign Affairs Minister. Between 2003 and 2007, he was Head of the UN Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs known as the Third Committee of the UN. He also served as Director of Asia and Pacific Matters at the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
He retired from the Diplomatic Service in 2011 and joined the National Defence College in 2012 and since then been a Directing Staff of the College.
Describing Ambassador Wigwe as a first grade public servant and a pride to Abia State, Governor Ikpeazu noted that the most pleasant aspect of the appointment is that it is a product of merit and a reflection of the long years of service in the diplomatic service.
The Governor assured Ambassador Wigwe of the best wishes of the government and people of Abia State in his new appointment and expressed confidence that he will bring to bear in his new job, that deep sense of devotion to duty and passion for country which have been the hallmark of his very successful diplomatic career.
Ambassador Dr. Chijioke Wilcox Wigwe, an indigene of Umule Village, Osisioma Ngwa LGA of Abia State has since assumed duties.
