BREAKING: Nigerian Air Force Appoints Air Vice Marshal Ubadike as First Serving Officer Professor of Aerospace Engineering
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has announced the elevation of its senior officer, Air Vice Marshal Osinachi Ubadike, to the esteemed academic position of Professor of Aerospace Engineering. The service also pledged to continue to prioritise its research and development efforts.
A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, stated that the Governing Council of the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) has approved the appointment of Air Vice Marshal OC Ubadike as Professor of Aerospace Engineering.
The NAF Spokesperson said that this makes Prof. Ubadike the first-ever serving officer in the NAF to be conferred with the title of Professorship. He said that Air Vice Marshal Ubadike, an accomplished scholar and military professional, holds a PhD and Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering and Aerospace Vehicle Design from the esteemed Cranfield University in the United Kingdom.
He also possesses three other master’s degrees from Ahmadu Bello University and the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), with a first-class Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from NDA. He has led several cutting-edge research initiatives within the NAF, including his pivotal role in the development of the indigenous NAF Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
The spokesperson added that the UAV project demonstrates the Air Force’s expanding technical capabilities and strategic independence.
In a related announcement, the Governing Council also confirmed the appointment of Air Vice Marshal (retired) Paul Jemitola as a Professor of Aerospace Engineering.
Prof. Jemitola, the immediate past Commandant of AFIT, is widely respected for his expertise in multidisciplinary and multi-objective aircraft design optimisation.
He holds a Master’s degree and PhD from Cranfield University and was the lead designer of the NAF UAV project.
He is a chartered engineer in the United Kingdom and currently serves as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Isaac Jasem Balami University of Aeronautics and Management, Lagos.
The statement said the conferment of the professorships is a testament to the vision of the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, who has prioritised technological advancement through education, capacity-building, and R&D.
The CAS stated that “we will continue to invest in the empowerment of our flagship training and capacity development institutions to progressively minimise dependence on foreign expertise.”
This approach, he said, reaffirms the Air Force’s commitment to academic excellence and R&D to cultivate homegrown expertise capable of meeting evolving national security and aerospace challenges.
