Some Naval officers on Friday described a former Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), late Vice Admiral Patrick Koshoni, as an intellectual, efficient thinker and a visionary.
Koshoni who was born on April 17, 1943, died on Jan. 25, 2020 after an illness.
Koshoni was the Chief of Naval Staff under the former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, between 1986 and 1990.
Some of the Naval officers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the late Koshoni would be missed because of his personality, administrative style and intelligence.
Retired Admiral Kehinde Komolafe, the Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to Koshoni as CNS said that the deceased was an intellectual, efficient thinker and a visionary.
“He was someone whom I had a lot of respect for; he was very brilliant, thorough and professionally sound.
“He was quite professional; Nigeria is going to miss him.
“His type was rare, he was an intellectual, an efficient naval thinker, and he was a planner.
“And reflecting back now, I am wondering how at that age, he could sail the affairs of the Navy so well as well those of the ministries he headed before his appointment as CNS then.
“At 46, he had concluded his tenure as the CNS,” he said.
Komolafe said that Koshoni demonstrated his motto of: ‘The Fear of God and simplicity’ well in all his affairs, saying that he wished others could emulate him.
“He was quite learned, his motto was `Fear of God and simplicity’, and he demonstrated it in all affairs.
“ I wish that others can take a cue from him; he introduced quite a number of outstanding things to the areas where he served his fatherland.
“ They include: intellectual development, physical development to the admiration of even his colleagues at the Federal Executive Council, even the then military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babaginda.
“Admiral Koshoni was gifted,” he said.
The former ADC said that his respect for Koshoni increased when they visited the U.S Navy and showcased that Nigeria was and is endowed with talented people.
“There was this typical example when we went to see the CNS of the U. S. Navy; they clearly gave us five minutes to see him because they thought who was this young African coming to disturb them.
“When we entered, the U.S, CNS sat at one edge and Vice Admiral Koshoni at another edge, and they were like what did he want to say.
“But when they started discussing, the U. S boss saw the kind of depth of discussion.
“We spent over one hour, the U.S. Naval boss was engrossed as he was enjoying the discussion. It was a great sight for me to behold then as a young officer.
“ Koshoni gave Nigeria the respect it deserved,” he said.
“Koshoni was later allowed to speak at the U.S. Navy Committee, which also brought prestige to Nigeria,” he said.
Also, Retired Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, said that the late Koshoni was a very revered senior naval officer and CNS in a class of his own.
“His personality, turnout and administrative style had its uniqueness that you could not help but notice.
“Significantly, I remembered in his time, I was a Midshipman onboard the Nation’s Flagship when we conducted several Flag showing cruises to foreign countries and sea exercises of different forms.
“There, we tested every aspect of our warfare capability then short of missile firing test.
“ That culminated in a robustly conducted Presidential Fleet Review whereby he was able to get the then Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, to address all the Fleet from sea for the first time ever,” he said.
Nesiama said that it was then that the Naval Air arm came on stream and was able to take off and land onboard the Flagship at ease.
“Infact, Gen. Babangida was flown from the ship at sea back to Dodan Barracks on completion of the Fleet Review.
“The Nigerian Navy was professionally and combat ready to take on its role of military power projection beyond the West African sub-region and we did that with the coming of the ECOMOG years after,” he said.
Nesiama said that one special feature about the late CNS was that he was given to discovering talents and developing them for the good of the country.
“He was able to identify and pick a young officer from the Accounts and Budget Branch to become his Flag Lieutenant (ADC) which was a normal preserve for the Executive Branch.
“That officer who later rose to become an Admiral served and retired from the Navy as one of the most respected Branch Chiefs of this era for his purposefulness,” he said.
Nesiama also described the deceased as someone who had eyes for good things.
Similarly, Rear Adm. Oladele Daji, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, described the late Koshoni as someone who was far knowledgeable than them.
“His knowledge was far beyond us,” he said.
It would be recalled that the late Koshoni also served as the Minister of Health from December 1983 to August 1985, and Minister of Employment, Labour and Productivity from 1985 to 1986.
He was appointed CNS from October 1986 to January 1990.(NAN)
