Lieutenant Colonel Nurudeen Alowonle Yusuf, a Kwara State-born prince has been appointed as the Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to President-elect, Bola Tinubu.
Yusuf is the son of a monarch, Oba Yusuf Omokanye Oyekanmi, the Elemona of Ilemona in the Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
According to Vanguard, Yusuf is scheduled to resume official duties on Monday, May 1, 2023.
According to reports, the ADC designate has previously served in sensitive roles in the Presidential Villa during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
This means that Yusuf is bringing his experience in intelligence and VIP protocol and protection to the new role.
Yusuf’s antecedents must have prompted Tinubu to seek the permission of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, to have the senior military officer work with him as he prepares to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29.
Yusuf’s rise in military ranks
After completing his Ordinary National Diploma in Computer Science from Offa Polytechnic in 2000, Yusuf enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Electrical-Electronics).
Between 2004 and 2005, he attended Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS), in the United Kingdom.
The RMAS is an institution where all officers in the British Army are trained to take on the responsibility of leading their soldiers.
In 2006, he attended the Nigerian Army Intelligence School in Lagos where he was trained in intelligence and security-related subjects in accordance with the Nigerian Army training policies and directives.
Attending the Young Officer’s Course Infantry, NASI, another course in Kaduna in 2007 equipped him with military skills on the use of various types of weapon systems used in infantry units as well as special operations.
In 2008, Yusuf completed the Tactical Intelligence Officers and Security Investigations courses to improve his capabilities as a military officer.
Between 2009 and 2018, the multilingual officer, who is fluent in Yoruba, Hausa, English and French, had several military trainings in Mali, Pakistan, China, Israel and the United Kingdom.
The trainings include Military Intelligence Basic Officers Course (Mali); Junior Staff Course (China); Officers Advanced Intelligence Course, SMI, (Pakistan) Advanced Command and Staff Course (Shrivenham UK).
While acquiring military training, Yusuf obtained a master’s degree in Defence Studies from Kings College, London in 2018, and a postgraduate diploma in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution from the National Open University (NOUN).
Yusuf recently completed another military course designed for Commanding Officers in Jaji, Kaduna, prior to his appointment as the ADC designate to the president-elect.
Other courses he took include Joint Information Course, Darfur, Sudan (2013); Humanitarian Recovery and Development Unit Course, Sudan (2013); Basic Counter Terrorism Training, Kontagora (2013); VIP Protection Leadership Training, Israel (2013); UN Military Observers Course, Egypt (2019); Joint Basic French Course (A1), Alliance Francais, Abuja (2019) and Joint Basic French Course (A2), Paris, France.
Yusuf’s past roles
Yusuf served as an officer in charge (Technical) for 119 Intelligence Group, Lagos. He was thereafter transferred to HQ 4 Brigade, Benin, where he served as Operations Officer.
He also served as Officer Commanding at State House Military Intelligence Group and in 2015, he was promoted to Officer Commanding, Presidential Body Guard, State House, Abuja.
In 2017, Yusuf served the Nigerian Army as Staff Officer Grade 1 for the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corp (NAIC).
Yusuf was commissioned into the Officers Cadre from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK, in 2005 and proceeded to become Military Assistant to the Chief of Training/Operations at Army Headquarters between 2017 and 2019. Later, he was promoted to Assistant Director of Intelligence/Security.
From 2020 to 2022, Yusuf served at Nigerian Defence Section, in Paris, France as DDA Librarian, and until his appointment as Tinubu’s ADC, he was Staff Officer, Headquarters, NAIC, Abuja.
Impressive