By Abdul Lauya
In a groundbreaking achievement, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has appointed its first-ever serving officer as a professor.
Air Vice Marshal Osichinaka Chiedu Ubadike has been named Professor of Aerospace Engineering by the Governing Council of the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT).
This marks a historic moment for the NAF and strengthens its drive for research and development (R&D) excellence.
AVM Ubadike is a distinguished military officer and academic.
He holds both PhD and Master’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Aerospace Vehicle Design from Cranfield University, UK.
He also has three additional Master’s degrees from Ahmadu Bello University and the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
He earned a First-Class Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from NDA.
Ubadike has spearheaded major research projects in the NAF, most notably the indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
The UAV initiative reflects NAF’s growing self-reliance and technical prowess.
In a related move, the AFIT Governing Council also appointed Air Vice Marshal (retired) Paul Jemitola as a Professor of Aerospace Engineering.
Professor Jemitola is the immediate past Commandant of AFIT and a seasoned expert in aircraft design optimization.
He holds a Master’s degree and PhD from Cranfield University.
He led the NAF UAV project’s design team and is a UK chartered engineer.
He now serves as Acting Vice Chancellor at Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management in Lagos.
These appointments align with the vision of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar.
He emphasized the NAF’s dedication to education, innovation, and reducing reliance on foreign expertise.
“This is about empowering our institutions to build the future of Nigerian aerospace from within,” he said.
The move solidifies the Air Force’s commitment to academic excellence and homegrown R&D solutions for national defence.
