Rear Admiral Emmanuel Okechukwu Ogalla, NEW CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF

Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla was born on December 20, 1968, in Enugu Ezike Igbo Eze North LGA, Enugu State, Nigeria. He completed his WASC at NMS Zaria in June 1987, where he graduated as the top student in Sciences, achieving A1 in all subjects except English language. He joined the 39th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA) and earned a BSc in Mathematics, receiving the prestigious Sword of Honor as the best naval cadet in his class. He was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant on September 16, 1992, and has since risen to the rank of Rear Admiral, effective from September 16, 2021. In his pursuit of professional development, he completed the STC NNS QUORRA and the Basic Hydrography National Hydrographic School in India in May 2000. He also attended the Junior and Senior Staff Courses at AFCSC Jaji in November 2001 and July 2006, respectively. Furthermore, he successfully participated in NDC Course 22 and was awarded the fdc in August 2014. As part of this course, he completed the MSc Strategic Studies program at the University of Ibadan from 2014 to 2015.

Throughout his career, Rear Admiral Ogalla has served on several ships, including NNS AMBE, ARADU, LANA, EKUN, AGU, QUORRA, BEECROFT, DELTA, and PATHFINDER. Notably, while serving on NNS EKUN, he participated in the ECOMOG Operations in Liberia in 1996. During his tenure as the Base Operations Officer at NNS PATHFINDER, he effectively coordinated anti-illegal bunkering operations and was responsible for the overall policing duties of the base, resulting in a significant reduction in illegal activities within the maritime area.

Rear Admiral Ogalla has held various instructional and command positions, including Instructor, CI, and Commandant at NNHS, as well as Staff Officer 1 Survey and Deputy Director of Instruments at NNHO. He has also served as ADCP, Deputy Director of Hydrography and Director of Personnel Records at NHQ. Currently, he holds the position of Director of Lessons Learned (DLL) at NHQ. During his six-year cumulative tour of duty at NNHS, he taught various subjects, including geodesy, datum conversion, tidal predictions and analysis, satellite surveying, and bathymetry. As Commandant, he established a partnership between the school and Teledyne Marines, a reputable OEM in the United States. This collaboration facilitated the procurement of several survey equipment, leading to significant improvements in practical training. He also played a vital role in the curriculum review at NNHS to align with the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) requirements. At NNHO, he contributed to the localization of tidal prediction and analysis and actively participated in the FAO-sponsored Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem survey in 2004. His involvement in the survey and production of NNHO charts demonstrated his professionalism and expertise. While serving at the NDC, he made valuable contributions to the improvement of the college’s research package and led the 2018 participant’s research study tour to China and South Korea. As DLL, he is responsible for collecting and analyzing previous Nigerian Navy operations and activities to derive essential lessons for doctrinal and operational improvements.

Rear Admiral Ogalla has been recognized for his achievements and dedication with several decorations, including FSS, MSS, DSS, and GSS. He is an active member of the Nigerian Hydrographic Society, Nigerian Institute of Management, and the International Earth Rotation Services. Furthermore, he holds the title of Fellow of the Occupational Safety and Health Association of the UK. He is happily married to Mrs. Ijeoma Ogalla, and they have been blessed with two children. In his leisure time, he enjoys jogging, reading, and researching about science and nature.