Defence Minister Badaru Urges NDC Course 33 Graduates to Lead with Integrity and Accountability, Anchored on President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda

By Ali Rabiu Ali Jigawa 

The Honourable Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, CON, mni, has restated Nigeria’s commitment to building strong institutions as the foundation for good governance and national stability.

He made this known on Monday, 18th August 2025, at the National Defence College Auditorium in Abuja during the Graduation Lecture of Course 33, which featured the former President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as Guest Lecturer. The Minister stated, “Strong nations are built on strong institutions, not strong individuals.”

He noted that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, reforms and leadership appointments are designed to entrench accountability and professionalism across government institutions, including in the defence sector.

The Minister commended efforts by African governments, the African Union, and ECOWAS in strengthening governance but stressed the need for deeper cooperation to secure peace and development.

To the graduating participants, he urged, “Leadership is a trust. Your responsibility is to leave behind systems stronger than you found them.”

The Minister thanked President Tinubu for his support of the Armed Forces and the NDC and welcomed Nana Akufo-Addo, whose insights, he said, would inspire the next generation of African leaders.