Former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Maj Gen Joseph Okunbor (Rtd), is dead.
A family source hinted our reporter that Maj Gen Okunbor passed on, Tuesday, at the age of 63 in an Indian hospital, after battling unknown ailment.
The source hinted our reporter that friends and former colleagues of the deceased have besieged his Ibadan residence to sympathise with the bereaved family.
Major General Okunbor was born in Benin City on 18 August 1956 m.
He hailed from Orhionmowon Local Government Area of Edo State.
He had his primary education at Holy Aruosa Primary School, Benin from 1963 to 1969 and his secondary education as a boy soldier at Nigerian Military School, Zaria from 1971 to 1975.
He started his officer cadet training in the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna on 5 January 1976 as a member of Regular Combatant Course 19 and was later selected to attend the Officer Cadet Standard Military Course 16 at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst from 5 September 1977 to 7 April 1978. He was later granted Regular Combatant Commission on 7 April 1978 in the rank of Second Lieutenant with seniority in the same rank with effect from 5 January 1976.
On commission, he was posted to the Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery and during the course of his career, he later changed to the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police. By dint of hardwork, valour, commitment and loyalty, Major General Joseph Aiyowieren Okunbor earned his promotion as follows:
Before his retirement, Major General Joseph Aiyowieren Okunbor has held many appointments at both junior and higher leadership levels in command, staff and instructions. Notable among these appointments are
• Troop Commander, Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery
• Adjutant, 42 Field Artillery Regiment
• Battery Commander, 313 Medium Artillery Regiment
• Staff Officer Grade 3 Legal Services, Headquarters 82 Division
• 2 i/c Charlie Company, HQ Nigerian Army Provost Battalion
• Officer Commanding Alfa Company, 82 Provost Battalion.
• Asst Director, Army Legal Services 82 Division,
• Directing Staff, Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji
• Staff Officer Grade 1 Administration, Directorate of Army Legal Services
• Asst. Director, Army Legal Services 2 Division.
• Colonel Discipline, HQ Nigerian Army Department of Army Administration
• Colonel Administration, Directorate of Army Legal Services
• Commander 3 Provost Group
• Commander 82 Provost Group
• Commander 81 Provost Group
• Deputy Director of Procurement, Defence Headquarters
• Director of Training, Training and Doctrine Command
• Ag. Commander, Training and Doctrine Command
• Director of Army Legal Services
• Provost Marshal, Nigerian Army
• Chief of Logistics, Nigerian Army
• Director of Policy, Defence Headquarters.
In recognition of his outstanding virtues and in appreciation of the services to his country Nigeria, he was awarded Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
