Ceremonial Sunset: Navy Reiterates Commitment to Protect Maritime Environment
The Navy band at the Ceremonial Sunset
Chiemelie Ezeobi
To ensure a thriving environment in the maritime domain, the Nigerian
Navy recently reiterated its commitment to secure the nation’s territorial integrity.
The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Jason Gbassa, made this pledge during the 2021 Nigerian Navy Ceremonial Sunset for Lagos area, which held at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT parade ground in Apapa.
Gbassa, who was represented by the Command Chief Staff Officer, Rear Admiral Habila Zakaria, said the protection is to ensure a conducive environment for the maritime sector to flourish.
Stressing that the objective was part of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo’s strategic directive, he said the navy would continue to leverage all factors of national recreation, technology, training, teamwork and synergy to improve services rendered.
He said: “This will re-energise the Nigerian Navy and enhance her as a well motivated naval force in the discharge of her constitutional mandate.
“This has been the CNS mantra and we, in the Lagos area will assure that the maritime environment is secured for economic activities to thrive.”
Urging the military personnel to reflect on the expectations of the maritime stakeholders, he charged them to brace-up to whatever sacrifice they maybe called upon to make in ensuring safety of the maritime environment.
On the Ceremonial Sunset, he said it was an age old naval tradition often done as part of the formalities to bring the activities of the year to a close.
“Although largely a regimental display, it is often tempered with a bene of social context where we invite dignitaries to a cocktail.”
Also speaking, the special guest of honour, Rear Admiral Monday Unurhiere, who stood in for the CNS said despite the challenges currently being experienced, the activities within the year particularly regarding the platforms that were injected into service, numerous personnel capacity-building efforts and conceptual consolidation as seen with the publication of a Nigerian Navy Doctrine and the hosting of Seapower for Africa Symposium in about two weeks ago have boosted NN response immensely.
He said: ” Just last week, six ships including the Nigerian Navy built Seaward Defence Boat 3, NNS OJI we just injected into the fleet with the addition of these efforts to Nigerian Navy’s fighting capability , I am hopeful that current challenges will pass and we are, now better prepared for future threats. Celebration of milestone successes is an acclaimed strategy for sustainable change management.”
On the Ceremonial Sunset he said the naval tradition of hoisting colors at sunrise and lowering them at sunset dates back to the end of the 16th century “but it was in 1844 that the timing for hoisting was fixed at 8 am. Before this, flags were used mainly for signaling purposes and were taken up and down at dawn and dusk respectively.
” This was simply because it was impracticable to decipher intended messages once it was dark.
” Subsequently, fanfare was added to the hoisting and lowering of colors and the practice still continues to date in Nigerian Navy units ashore and afloat. The Nigerian Navy transformation from a small naval force at inception 1965 has come with some innovations one of which is today’s event.
“Though we may not have arrived at our desired place, we have certainly made progress in our efforts to statutorily defending Nigeria’s maritime territorial integrity and protecting our strategic national assets from maritime threats”.
