In fulfillment of the mission and vision of Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, established by an Act of Parliament in 1964, appointed Brigadier General Augustine Okhomeh Odidi the best Industrial Engineer in Nigerian Army, was wasted and victimized by previous administrations for his steadfastness and professionalism. A brilliant soldier who should have turned many engineering departments around long before now, was identified and picked by an eagle, ear, President Muhammadu Buhari, seemingly expected to provide his kind of services to Nigeria and upturn DICON in a jiffy.  

His likes were either frustrated, retired, victimized, and are forced to abscond. Meanwhile, his credentials speak for himself:  Brigadier General Augustine Okhomeh Odidi (N/7252) was born on 4 March 1961 in Kano but hails from Agenebode in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State. He attended Aminu L.E.A Primary School, Sabon Gari, Zaria and Government Secondary School, Kafanchan in Kaduna State. Augustine got admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna as a member of 27 Regular Combatant Course; and started training on 4 January, 1980. During the training, he won the best 27 Regular Course Army Cadet Silver Medal, which was awarded by former President Shehu Shagari in December, 1981. On 18 December 1982, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant (2Lt) and posted to the Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps (NAEME).

Brigadier General Odidi has obtained several military and civil qualifications to his credit. These include, BSC. Electrical and Electronics Engineering (OAU Ife), BSC. War Studies (University of Balochistan, Pakistan), MSc. Industrial Engineering (University of Ibadan) and MSc. International Relations (University of Zimbabwe). He holds the prestigious passed staff college 'dagger', ps (+) of the Armed Forces Command Staff Colleges (AFCSC), Jaji. He attended Junior Staff College (Jaji) and Senior Staff Course (Pakistan). He is a member of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru-Jos (mni), Nigerian Society of Engineers (MNSE) and Council for Regulation of Engineering (COREN). He obtained the UNPROFOR medal as UN Military Observer in former Yugoslavia. He holds the Grand Service Star (GSS) hon ours. He holds the Distinguished Induction Lecturer Award for University of Ibadan.

Brigadier General Odidi was promoted Lieutenant with effect from 4 January 1984; Captain 4 January 1988; Major 4 January 1993; Lieutenant Colonel 4 January 1998; Colonel 4 January 2003; Brigadier General 4 January 2008. Brigadier General Odidi has served in various command, staff, instructor and diplomatic appointments. He was instructor in NDA, Military Assistant to Chief of Training and Operations Defence Headquarters, Commanding Officer, Guard Brigade Workshop, Abuja and Staff Officer 1 Administration/Logistics at HQ NAEME, Others are Directing Staff (DS) at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) Jaji, Director of Records at the Army Headquarters, Department of Military Secretary, Deputy Commandant Nigerian Army School Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Principal Staff Officer to Chief of Army Staff (PSO-COAS), Commander 1 Base Workshop, Commander Nigerian Army Central Workshop, Commandant Nigerian Army School Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and Defence Adviser of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Republic of Zimbabwe with concurrent accreditation to Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Angola, Rwanda, Burundi, Eritrea and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Until his current appointment as Director General Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), he was the Deputy Director, Production, Department of Logistics, Defense Headquarters Abuja. 

Nigerians expect you to take this appointment very seriously, pour out your accumulated dreams, while looking beyond paper works and set standards, here below: 

• To build the Corporation on a sound commercial footing to continuously produce and constantly improve on the quality of arms and ammunition needs of the Defence, Security and foreign policy of Nigeria with the best international standards.

• Operate the ordnance factories for the manufacture and supply of arms and ammunition as well as inspecting, testing and recommending ordnance materiel intended for use by the Armed Forces and other security organizations while using the excess capacity to support the development of local industries. 

  Additionally:

  It is important to visit DICON Brazil many times, for partnership and trainings, to size up their operations and activities, and inject more into DCON Nigeria, for one simple reason both DICONS were started the same year and Brazil overshoot their boundaries.    

Francis John, APC USA International Secretariat

+1.816.3359.8527