The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar has approved the appointment of Air Commodore Olusola Akinboyewa as the new Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI) for the Nigerian Airforce.
The Air Chief also approved the redeployment of the erstwhile DOPRI, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet to the newly established NAF civil-military relations branch as Director of co-ordination and co-operation.
In a statement by the Deputy Director, Public Relations and Information of the force, Group Captain Kabiru Ali says the strategic re-alignment was part of NAF’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its public community engagement functions, while also ensuring a more robust and effective interface with the general public and stakeholders.
As the new spokesperson, Air Commodore Akinboyewa is expected to continue in the footsteps of his predecessor by overseeing NAF’s media engagements, strategic communications, and Information dissemination, while building perception, maintaining transparency and further public trust and confidence.
According to the statement, Air Commodore Akinboyewa hails from Ondo West LGA in Ondo State, and a member of 43rd regular combatant course of the Nigerian Defence Academy-NDA.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the NDA, a postgraduate diploma in telecommunications and electronics engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and a Masters degree in security and strategic studies from the NDA.
Throughout his career, he has held numerous command and staff appointments and attended various courses both locally and internationally.
The statement notes that the new spokesperson is also a distinguished fellow of the national defence college, Nigeria, and an Associate member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations-NIPR