US embassy cable - 01ABUJA3082

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 003082 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR AF/RA:BITTRICK 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2011 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, NI, OFPD 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: NEW DEFENSE ADVISOR APPOINTED 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR HOWARD F. JETER; REASONS 1.5 (b) and 
(d). 
 
 
1. (U) This is an action request.  See para 3. 
 
 
2. (SBU) Mission received Note S1540/2001 from the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs, dated November 12.  The text of the note 
is below.  Please advise. 
 
 
 
 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of 
Nigeria presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United 
States and has the honor to inform the latter of the 
appointment and posting of Group Captain A. R. Okanlawon as 
Nigeria,s Defense Advisor to the United States with effect 
from 1st January 2002. 
 
 
The esteemed Embassy is therefore requested to seek agreement 
of its home government's relevant authorities for the 
appointment.  The Curriculum Vitae of Group Captain Okanlawon 
is attached herewith for your perusal. 
 
 
 
 
 
Name: Adebiyi Rakas Okanlawon, NDU MSS FSS psc ( ) 
Sex: Male 
DOB: 7 December, 1955 
POB: Lagos 
Local Government Area: Abeokuta North 
State of Origin: Ogun State 
Religion: Islam 
Marital Status: Married (with children) 
 
 
SCHOOLS ATTENDED 
Mayflower Junior School, Ikenne 
Mayflower School, Ikenne 
Federal School of Art and Science, Victoria Island 
Troy State University, Montgomery, Alabama, USA 
 
 
MILITARY COURSES 
-Nigerian Defense Academy, Kaduna, 75-76 
-Primary Flying Training, Nigerian AFB, Kaduna, 76-77 
-Advance Pilot Training, Texas, USA, 78-79 
-Fighter Pilot Training, New Mexico, USA, 79-80 
-MIG-21 Conversion Training, Kano, 80 
-Alpha Jet Tactical Training, W. Germany, 81-82 
-Alpha Jet Engine Study, France, 81 
-Jaguar Conversion Training, Britain, 83-84 
-Junio0r Division Staff Course, Jaji, Kaduna, 86 
-Instructor Pilot Training, Texas, USA, 88-89 
-Air Command Staff College, Air University, Alabama, USA, 
91-92 
-Advance Defense Course (War Strategy Campaign Planning), NDU 
PLA, Beijing, China, 2000 
 
 
APPOINTMENTS 
-Staff Officer 2 Training, Flying Training Group, Kano, 83 
-Group Operations Officer, Strike Group Makurdi, 85 
-Acting Commander Strike Group NAF, Makurdi, 86 
-Commanding Officer Air Weapons School NAF Kainji, 90 
-Staff 1 Operations Air Weapons School, Kainji, 90-91 
-Officer Commanding Base Service Wing Air Weapons School NAF, 
Kainji, 90 
-Operations Officer NAF Detachment, ECOMOG, Sierra 
Leone/Liberia, 90 
-Acting Xommander Air Weapons School, Kainji, 91 
-Commanding Officer Fighter Wing NAF Task Force ECOMOG, 
Sierra Leone/Liberia, 92-94 
-Directing Staff (JD) Air Faculty Command and Staff College, 
Jaji, 94-97 
-Commander NAF Detachment, ECOMOG, Liberia, 97-98 
-Commander NAF Detachment, ECOMOG, Lungi, Sierra 
Leone/Conakry, Guinea, 98-99 
-Command Training Officer, HQ Training command, NAF, Kaduna, 
99-01 
-Member Governing Board of the Nigerian College of Aviation 
Technology, Zaria, 01 
 
 
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES 
Golf, Lawn Tennis, Swimming, Soccer, Farming, Music, 
Scrabble, Traveling and Reading 
 
 
 
 
 
3. (C) Embassy has vetted Okanlawon through Embassy name 
checks, and has found no derogatory information.  ACTION 
REQUESTED: Please provide text to respond regarding this 
Officer's assignment.  END ACTION REQUEST. 
Jeter