The Nigerian Navy, in commemoration of its 70th Anniversary Celebration, has charged personnel to remain loyal to God first, stressing that loyalty to God would naturally encourage loyalty to constituted authority and national values.
At an Interdenominational Thanksgiving Service on Sunday at the Base Protestant Church, organized by the Forward Operating Base FORMOSO, under the command of Capt SK Haruna, ratings, officials and civilian staff joined friends of the Navy to appreciate God. The solemn thanksgiving service was attended by officers, ratings, civilian staff, and friends of the Nigerian Navy who gathered to appreciate Almighty God for His guidance, protection, and blessings upon the Service and the nation over the years.
Delivering the sermon during the service, the Base Chaplain, Rev Lt Gimba Boaz, spoke on the theme “Sail with Christ Onboard,” drawn from St Luke 8:22–25. The sermon emphasized faith, obedience, and total loyalty to constitutional authority. He charged personnel to remain loyal to God first, stressing that loyalty to God would naturally encourage loyalty to constituted authority and national values. The Chaplain further highlighted the importance of peace, unity, cooperation, and dedication to duty among personnel. He also offered prayers for the continued progress and success of the Nigerian Navy, urging officers and ratings to remain steadfast in serving God and the nation faithfully.
Speaking after the sermon, the Commanding Officer, Capt Haruna, who led officers and ratings to the thanksgiving session, conveyed the goodwill message of the Chief of the Naval Staff to personnel of the Base. In the message, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, charged officers and ratings to remain committed to professionalism, discipline, innovative, and selflessness in the discharge of their duties. The message further emphasized that the responsibility of taking the Nigerian Navy to greater heights rests on all personnel, while encouraging them to continue enhancing operational capabilities towards effectively securing Nigeria’s maritime environment in support of national security and economic prosperity.
