Nigerian Women, through the Ministry of Women Affairs, has conferred on the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, the “He for She” Award of Excellence as a worthy Champion of Nigerian Women. The Award was presented to the CAS at the 29th Annual Meeting of the National Council on Women Affairs and Social Development, organized by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs recently in Akure, Ondo State.
In the statement released by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola on Thursday 7th November 2019, the award was presenting on behalf of the Nigerian Women, by the Honourable Minister for Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen.
Dame Pauline Tallen in presenting the award, disclosed that it was in recognition of Air Marshal Abubakar’s iconic initiative to give female personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) equal opportunity to realise their dreams in fair competition with their male colleagues.
Speaking after receiving the award on behalf of the CAS, the Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command (AOC LC), Air Vice Marshal Abdulganiyu Olabisi, stated that, since assumption of office, Air Marshal Abubakar had continued to ensure a level playing field for all NAF personnel to realize their dreams and aspirations regardless of their gender. Others who received the Award of Excellence at the event included the Governors of Lagos, Kwara, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom and the Kaduna States as well as the Chief Executive Officer of Emzor Pharmaceuticals.
It would be recalled that the NAF recently winged its first female fixed-wing fighter pilot and the first female combat helicopter pilot. At the same ceremony, the first female personnel to attain the enviable rank of Air Warrant Officer in the 55-year history of the NAF was also decorated with her new rank, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola had reported.