By Madu Onuorah
December 29, 2023, Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State was abuzz for the grand reception by the Ozubulu Development Union (ODU) for Rear Admiral Nnamdi Athony Muogilim (rtd) for “Outstanding Military Career and Service to the Nation.” The event, graced by top serving and retired military personnel, leading citizens of Ozubulu, friends and associates, was held at the Union’s National Secretariat, Ozubulu Civic Centre. And after the colourful ceremony, a reception was held at Admiral Muogilim’s residence at Egbema Ozubulu.
As he presented the award, the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Fidelis Nnamdi Oruche, Eze Ugodinaobi, Okeife II, The Obi of Ozubulu, paid glowing tribute to the exemplary life of service and enviable character of Admiral Muogilim.
Indeed, it was a grand celebration as Muogilim was recognized as one of the men and women who have made a difference in the community, joining the ranks of the greats of the ancient town of Ozubulu including renowned Chief Jerome Udoji (Igwe Ozuluohaonu of Igbo land) CFR, KSJ, Papal Medalist, Lawyer, Economist, Philanthropist, Author and Technocrat.
Another of the greats include Obi B. Egbuna, erstwhile enfant terrible of African literature and prolific novelist, playwright and Black Power activist who published many well-received books such as Wind versus Polygamy, Elina, The Anthill, Destroy this Temple, Daughters of the Sun, Emperor of the Sea, The Minister’s Daughter, The Rape of Lysistrata, Diary of a Homeless Prodigal, The Madness of Didi etc.
Admiral Muogilim psc (+) fdc, GSS is a highly decorated officer of the Nigerian Navy. A doctorate degree holder (PhD), he is also a recipient of the National award of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR).
He capped his military assignment with a tour of duty at Defence Space Administration (DSA) from December 31, 2021 to February 11, 2023 as Chief of Defence Space Administration (CDSA). Admiral Muogilim handed over to Air Vice Marshal Ayoola Olasupo Jolasinmi on his redeployment to Nigerian Navy Holdings Limited from where he meritoriously retired from service.
Muogilim was the fourth occupant of the office of CDSA and is unarguably the most impactful within the shortest possible time he served at the agency. And it was in recognition of this that on May 28, 2023, he was one of the 340 Nigerians and friends of the country who benefitted from the approval by former President Muhammadu Buhari for the conferment of the 2023 special national awards.
For the 11 months he served in the agency, Muogilim focused on developing necessary human and material capacity for the DSA to fulfill its mandate as assigned by the Act of 2016 establishing it.
Some of his achievements in the areas of Human Capacity Development (HCD), Projects and business ventures for welfare of staff and generate revenue for the DSA include the following:
Human Capacity Development: Several HCD programmes were undertaken during the period under review to include local and foreign trainings, seminars and workshops. In the area of HCD locally, under him, DSA monthly lecture was birthed to educate the staff of DSA on core issues relevant to the organisation.
Starting in February 2022, directorates took turn to organize seminar on topical issue as it pertains to them. These issues ranged from administrative topics to technical ones that delves on space science and technology. The monthly lectures attracted participants from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as Security Agencies and academia. Other HCD that DSA staff participated in includes workshops, seminars and lectures organized by relevant organizations and agencies with relevance in SST. This has helped to improve the capacity and understanding of many DSA Staff on the assigned tasks.
In the area of HCD abroad, many officers, men and civilian staff of DSA were sent on various foreign HCD in pursuit of required capacity to enable them fit into their assigned tasks towards achieving the DSA mandate. Also, many were trained or engaged in various seminars, workshops and conferences.
In the area of Projects Development, several projects were embarked on and some ongoing were completed during the period under review including Incubation and Experience Centre, DSA Access Control and Surveillance Building, the Forward Operating Outpost, Del Sat 1, Ground Receiving and Transmitting Station and the Multipurpose Building. Others include Acquisition and Fencing of Defence Statellite Communication Center at Ijan-Ekiti, Acquisition and Development of DSS Orogun, Acquisition and Fencing of Epe Innovation Centre, GeoSpatial Information Fusion/Data Centre, the Ambulance and Fire Truck Bay, Automatic Fire Hydrant System Network, the Cyber Security Operations Laboratory and the Telemetry Magazine.
Under Admiral Muogilim, he completed inherited ongoing projects including the DSA Multipurpose Building and the DSA Staff Quarters in Karimo. These projects were completed and put to use. Of particular importance is the DSA Multipurpose Building which was completed, furnished and commissioned and the main hall in the building was named after the former Chief of Defence Staff, General LEO Irabor and therefore named “IRABOR HALL.”
During the tenure of Admiral Muogilim, The Del Sat 1 was one of the major projects embarked upon. This entailed the construction and launching into orbit an Earth Observation Satellite with 0.6 m resolution. Del Sat 1 was launched into orbit on November 15, 2022 in Jiquan, China and inaugurated on December 20, 2022. The satellite has given Nigeria an eye in the sky and provides periodic imagery which have wide range of applications ranging from security, agriculture to economy.
As part of efforts to ensure that the launched DelSat 1 is put into immediate use, the Satellite Ground Receiving and Transmitting Station (SGRTS) commenced simultaneously when the launching of the Satellite was being conceptualized. The SGRTS is required to receive data generated by the DelSat 1 and other relevant satellites deemed appropriate. It is the data received that is converted into imagery. The SGRTS is also used to task the Satellite to generate needed data. This project was completed and commissioned by then Minister of Defence, Major General BS Magashi on December 20, 2023.
The Geospatial Information Fusion/Data Centre was also established during the period of Muogilim’s tenure. The centre is the hub of all activities in the DSA and it converts all data received from DelSat 1 into useful tool, the satellite imagery. It also acts as workstation for tasking the satellite and as storage centre for data not only from the satellite but also data/infomation from Services and Security Agencies.
In addition, the Cyber Security Operations Laboratory was conceived, completed and commissioned on January 25, 2023 under Admiral Muogilim. The laboratory enhances the defence of critical infrastructure against the cyber-attacks and to engage in offensive cyber-attacks and forensic analysis of various cyber issues.
Also, the Access Control and Surveillance Building was emplaced to improve the security of the DSA complex and by extension the entire Olusegun Obasanjo Space Centre. The building has various surveillance equipment for observation and detection of intruders. It was commissioned on December 20, 2022.
The Forward Security Outpost, commissioned on January 25, 2023 was conceived to further the security of DSA and the Olusegun Obasanjo Space Centre. It also acts as an easy access to the DSA and observation post and is envisaged to have a linkage with the Access Control and Surveillance Building for synergized security related information collation and processing.
Also during his tenure, an Ambulance and Fire Truck Bay, also commissioned on January 25, 2023, was constructed to provide appropriate shelter and working space for the Ambulance and the Fire Truck on the one hand and working space for personnel that man the equipment.
The Automatic Fire Hydrant System Network was constructed to attend to fire incidents within the DSA complex. It has connections to all the buildings within the complex and can be activated automatically to fight fire. It also provides support for the Fire Truck and the fire-fighting system within the DSA has the potential to support fire-fighting within the Obasanjo Space Centre and beyond.
Also, the DSA established two business ventures – DSA Cooperative Society (launched in October 2022) and DelSpace Consult, in response to needs within the Administration. They are meant to be self-sustaining and are at various stages of operationalization.
The DelSpace Consult, which came into existence in September 2022, was set up to harness and make available for commercial purposes innate products from the DSA strategic infrastructure and it has the potential to raise sufficient finance to offset the cost of emplacing the space infrastructure within the DSA.
Others who were honoured by the Ozubulu Development Union (ODU) alongside Admiral Muogilim include Professor Patrick Uche Obi, Professor Joseph McCarthy Mbadugha, Mrs Ifeoma Jude-Iloma, Fidelis C. Mbadugha, SAN, Ichie Aloysius Ikegwuonwu (Ebubechukwu Uzo) and Dr Miss Ugochi Nwizu (best graduating student in Medicine at UNN).
It is not often that one comes along, does his assigned duties and leaves amid great commendations and is welcomed home by his ancestral home and people. Admiral Muogilim is one of them. And it is worth celebrating.