The Nigerian Institute of Management Chartered (Chartered) has charged 79 officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces inducted into its membership to display the highest level of managerial professionalism in all their activities and dealings.

Dr. (Mrs.) Christiana Atako, President and Chairman of Council of the Institute, said this during the Institute’s membership induction ceremony for Course 32 officers of the National Defence College, Nigeria, who joined the membership of the Institute under the Executive Training for Membership and Upgrade Programme in Abuja last Friday. Out of the 79 inductees, 42 were new inductees while 37 had their membership upgraded.
Atako noted that the ceremony, which was the tenth in the series, was yet another milestone in the relationship between both institutions.

The President who paid tribute to members of the Armed Forces who have had to pay the supreme price in their bid to protect the territorial integrity of the nation, especially the Okuoma seventeen, commended the Nigeria’s Armed Forces for the gains recorded in the war against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, insurgency and other forms of criminality and appealed for sustained efforts till every trace of terrorism is exorcised from the nation.

Atako also lauded Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu, Commandant, National Defence College, Abuja, on his innumerable achievements and continuous display of professional, leadership and managerial prowess.
She, however, told the inductees that the professional certification was not an end in itself which meant that the success which was a call to duty required more efforts.
She said that pursuant to the power conferred on the Institute by its Charter (NIM Act 14 of June 19, 2003), there were minimum professional standards of practice and behaviour which all members were expected to adhere to.

Atako enjoined the inductees to be guided by the spirit and letters enshrined in the code of professional management practice of the Institute when confronted with situations where they may have to make difficult choices or decisions.

“The cardinals of the code include putting service above self and pursuing all managerial duties with honesty, integrity and ethical process of thought.

“We are also enjoined to exercise self-restraint in handling sensitive issues, refrain from seeking personal advantage from exposure to confidential information and expose corrupt practices whenever they come to your knowledge and refuse to give undeserved favours to anyone.

“You must also promote the vision, mission, goals and objectives of the institute and at all times refrain from conduct which could harm its image, reputation and standing as a professional management body among others.

“If you adhere to the foregoing, you will not only have imbibed and displayed the values of integrity, transparency, responsibility, accountability, equity, fairness, efficiency and effectiveness which the Institute preaches and practices.

“…but will equally be in the forefront of the Institute’s fight against corruption and other vices which have been the bane of the nation’s development,” she said.

Noting that some of the inductees were non-Nigerians, Dr. Atako enjoined them to become good ambassadors of the Institute in their respective countries and also work towards fostering collaborations between NIM and the Management Institutes in their respective countries.

The Commandant, Rear Admiral Olotu, commended the institute for its strides over the years in bequeathing the right workforce and leaders to the nation through its numerous capacity building initiatives across the country.

He pointed out that the relationship between NDC and NIM was age-long and has been mutually beneficial to both organizations.

Olotu pointed out that aside from participants from the Armed Forces, Paramilitary, Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Nigeria, other beneficiaries of the programme were foreign participants noting that increasing interest among the participants of the programme is an indication of the position of the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) as one of the leading professional bodies in Africa. He revealed that the training partnership between the Institute and the College will be sustained as the knowledge gained during the yearly training has proven to greatly assist the participants in their present and future endeavours.