12/12/2025
MEET THE 34TH COMDT OF THE NDA
MAJOR GENERAL OT OLATOYE GSS psc(+) ndc(TZ) CM FCM GOM TSM BSc(Hons) MSSS(TZ) MNIIA FCAI FNIM SEF(HKS)
Major General Oluyemi Thomas Olatoye is the Thirty – Fourth Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). He is a distinguished senior military officer whose career reflects profound operational experience, instructional authority, strategic insight and unwavering commitment to the core values of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN). He is an indigene of Obafemi – Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
He commenced his early education in Ibadan and later gained admission into the prestigious NDA as a member of 41 Regular Course, where he was commissioned into the Infantry Corps in 1994. His formative education and military initiation provided the foundation for a career defined by discipline, perseverance and intellectual engagement.
Over the course of his professional development, Major General Olatoye demonstrated an exceptional appetite for learning and continuous professional improvement. He brilliantly completed a wide array of military courses including the Young Officers’ Course (Infantry), Company Amphibious Operations Course, Methods of Instruction Course, Unit Air Defence Course and Junior Course (Army). Others are Company Commanders’ Course, Senior Course (Army) and Commanding Officers’ Course Infantry.
His training also extended to specialized programmes such as the Train the Trainers Course on the Law of Armed Conflict, Military Observer Course (Mali) and Advanced Human Rights Training facilitated by the United States Defence Institute of Legal Studies. His strategic and executive leadership capacity was further strengthened through attendance of the National Defence College in Tanzania.
Major General Olatoye’s leadership trajectory has been characterized by progressively demanding command, staff, instructional and policy appointments. He began with early responsibilities as Platoon Commander, Company Second-in-Command and Adjutant at 4 Battalion. These appointments refined his understanding of troop leadership and military administration.
He later served as Adjutant and Officer Commanding at 4 Guards Battalion before assuming responsibility as Officer Commanding of a Patrol Base under the Multi-National Joint Task Force. In this role, he gained valuable experience in multinational coordination and coalition operational frameworks.
His instructional influence first became evident when he served as an Instructor at the NDA and contributed directly to the early professional formation of cadets who have now become senior officers of the AFN. Furthermore, his staff and training responsibilities deepened when he served as Staff Officer Grade 2 (Examinations) at the Army Headquarters Department of Training and Operations, followed by deployment as a Military Observer in the United Nations Mission in Sudan.
He subsequently served as Assistant Director Recruitment at the Department of Army Recruitment, Resettlement and Reserve. He further proved his instructional acumen as Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, where he mentored mid-level commanders in operational art, planning and leadership decision-making.
One of the hallmarks of his command record was his appointment as the Pioneer Commanding Officer of the 101 Special Forces Battalion, where he established the structural, operational and tactical frameworks of the unit from inception. He also served as Chief of Staff at Depot Nigerian Army, Deputy Director at the Army Training Support Centre and Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Personnel and Administration at Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre.
He further added value to training and instruction as Deputy Commandant of the Warrant Officers’ Academy where he developed senior non – commissioned officers to fill junior leadership and management roles.
At the higher level, Major General Olatoye served as Defence Liaison Officer to the House of Representatives, Chief of Staff at Headquarters 1 Division, and later as Commander 13 Brigade in Calabar.
His subsequent appointment as Acting Deputy Chief of Training (Army) Training Linkages and Integration and later Deputy Chief of Training (Army) Courses and Examinations placed him at the centre of doctrinal development, training standardization, and professional capacity building across the Nigerian Army. The senior officer’s instructional acumen was equally showcased following his appointment as the Commandant Nigerian Army School of Infantry during which he upscaled Infantry skill – sets via professional military training and education.
His operational and strategic leadership reached full maturity when he assumed the position of General Officer Commanding 82 Division and Commander Joint Task Force South East – Operation UDO KA. He was appointed Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy after this distinguished service progression.
Furthermore, his operational experience spans numerous mission-critical engagements such as Operation MESA, Operation HARMONY IV, Operation ZAMAN LAFIYA (later Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI), Operation SHARAN DAJI (Later Joint Task Force North West Operation FANSAN YAMMA), Operation WHIRL PUNCH and Operation UDO KA.
Major General Olatoye is a recipient of multiple honours and awards including the Grand Service Star, Passed Staff Course (+), National Defence Course (Tanzania), Command Medal, Field Command Medal, General Operations Medal, and Training Support Medal. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Biological Sciences and a Master’s degree in Security and Strategic Studies (Tanzania). His professional affiliations include Member Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Fellow Institute of Corporate Administration and Fellow Nigerian Institute of Management.
He is also a Senior Executive Fellow of the Harvard Kennedy School, Boston Massachusetts, USA.
As Commandant NDA, Major General Olatoye brings a leadership philosophy anchored on discipline, intellectualism, character-centred military professionalism and mission-focused strategic readiness.
He is deeply committed to shaping officers who are not only tactically capable and operationally adaptable but also guided by integrity, courage and an unbreakable sense of duty to the Nation. He is happily married and enjoys exercising, reading and intellectual exploration through research and digital study.
In the course of his career in the Nigerian Army, the Commandant has attended several courses commensurate to his rank which includes but not limited to;
Young Officer’s Course (Infantry).
Company Amphibious Operations Course.
Methods of Instruction Course.
Unit Air Defence Course.
Junior Course (Army).
Company Commanders’ Course (Infantry).
Training the Trainers Course on Law of Armed Conflicts.
Senior Course (Army).
Commanding Officers’ Course (Infantry).
MILOB Cse (Mali).
Human Right and International Humanitarian Law facilitated by United State Defense Institute of Legal Studies.
National Defence College in Tanzania and Senior Executive Fellows Programme at Havard Kennedy School, Boston Massachusetts, USA.
The Commandant has held several Command, Staff and Instructional Appointments, some of which include;
Platoon Commander, Company Second in Command and Adjutant – 4 Battalion.
Adjutant and Officer Commanding – 4 Guards Battalion.
Officer Commanding – Patrol Base Multi-National Joint Task Force.
Instructor at the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy.
Staff Officer Grade 2 Exams at Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations.
Military Observer – United Nations Mission in Sudan.
Assistant Director Recruitment Department of Army Recruitment Resettlement and Reserve.
Directing Staff at the prestigious Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji.
Pioneer Commanding Officer 101 Special Forces Battalion.
Chief of Staff – Depot Nigerian Army.
Deputy Director – Army Training Support Centre and Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Personnel and Administration at Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre.
Deputy Commandant – Warrant Officers’ Academy.
Defence Liaison Officer House of Representatives.
Chief of Staff Headquarters1 Division.
The Commandant was also a Commander of 13 Brigade Calabar.
Acting Deputy Chief of Training (Army) Training, Linkages and Integration – Army Headquarters Department of Army Training.
He was also Deputy Chief of Training (Army) Courses and Examination – Army Headquarters Department of Army Training.
General Officer Commanding 82 Division Nigerian Army. Before his appointment as the Thirty-Fourth Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, he was the General Officer Commanding 82 Division Nigerian Army and Commander Joint Task Force South East Operation UDO KA.
COMMANDANT OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE
Operation MESA, Operation HARMONY IV and United Nations Mission in Sudan. Others are Operation ZAMAN LAFIYA now Operation HADIN KAI, Operation SHARAN DAJI now Joint Task Force North West Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Operation WHIRL PUNCH and Joint Task Force South East Operation UDO KA.
Grand Service Star.
Passed Staff Course (dagger).
National Defence Course (Tanzania).
Command Medal.
Field Command Medal.
General Operations Medal.
Training Support Medal.
Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biological Sciences.
Master in Security and Strategic Studies (Tanzania).
Member Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.
Fellow Corporate Administrators Institute.
Fellow Nigerian Institute of Management.
He is a Senior Executive Fellow of Harvard Kennedy School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
He is happily married and his hobbies include exercising, reading and surfing the internet.
CC: NDA WEBSITE
