Mohammad Abdulkadri:  Veteran War Correspondent with panache

“Covering a war means going into places torn by chaos, destruction, death and pain, and trying to bear witness to that. I care about the experience of those most directly affected by war, those asked to fight and those who are just trying to survive”

This speaks volume of Mohammad Abdulkadri, the Nigeria’s Defence Minister’s Special Assistant on media and Publicity who recently bagged award of excellence from the Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor.

The Ministers aide rendered relentless, fearless and selfless to the nation in Counter- terrorism Operations inline of call to duty with the Nigerian troops as an embedded Defence Correspondent of the Nigerian Television Authority NTA before his retirement in 2020 from the service.

It’s a well deserved accolades aimed at inspiring the aspiring  younger generations of journalists who have passion for Professional Journalism, Public Relations Practice
 and Media Practice within and outside the shores of Nigeria.

Topmost in his interest Abdukaldir derived satisfaction in training and mentoriing up coming journalists covering security beat which he said it is not an easy task.  Probably, you must have watched him covering wars and conflicts in different parts of the world wearing military Camouflage.
Hard work pays and such efforts come with
 recognition, wherever and whenever professionals pay their dues excellently.

The veteran was a former Assistant Director News and Current Affairs of The Nigerian Telivision Authority Zonal Headquarters Channel 2, Victoria Island Lagos before his retirement.

Prince Abdulkadri was appointed Special Assistant (Media & Publicity) by the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) in March 2020 in recognition of his patriotic and outstanding performance in service to the nation.

An Ilorin  prince, Mohammad Abdulkadri  who hails from Iloriin East Local Government Area in Magaji Are ward One of Kwara State.

He is one of the foremost trained journalists in Nigeria and in Diaspora, having trained in virtually all the military institutions in the country, including the Defence Intelligence School, anchored by the centre for Strategic Studies, Galilee International Management Institute, Israel.

 He was a Nominee of the Nigerian US Embassy to  Garnish, Germany for the United States of America Command Public  Affairs and Media Symposium Training where he emerged as the first elected Leader, African Defence  and Security Journalists Association.

Other specialised trainings where the award recipient excelled included the
Protection of War Correspondent in danger zones held in Kilkis, Greece and organised by the Multinational Peace Support Training Centre.    Others include Basic Peace Support Operation for Defence Correspondent at the Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre Jaji, Kaduna State. Defence and Security Management Course at National Defence College, Abuja, Nigeria. Military Law Reform Seminar and he
Participated in Civil Military Relation Seminar organised by the Nigerian Army Headquarters.

Similarly, Prince Mohammad Abdulkadri served gallantly from 2009 to 2016 as War correspondent that covered various Military Campaigns including  Counter- Terrorism Operations at the very beginning under the aegis of Operations  Boyoma; Zaman Lafiya,
Lafiya Dole and Gama Aiki in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States in the North East.

This illustrious son of  Kwara state holds a first degree in political science, ABU Zaria in 1990 with Second Class Upper Honour Division, Masters in Industrial and Labour Relations, and Msc in political science, Ekiti State University, and presently undergoing Ph.D in Strategic Studies at Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo State.

As an adage, “there are seasons and time for everything under the earth, In man’s life, there will be season when achievements and accomplishments cannot go unnoticed, this is the case of Prince Mohammad Abdulkadri  the Nigeria’s Defence Minister’s Spokesman  ‘the proverbial white chicken that cannot hide from the hawk by virtue of his excellent service to humanity and immense contributions to security operations in the country like Nigeria.

He is an embodiment of true professional, a media icon, the man of the job who achieved  successes through dint of assiduous hard work; a man of transparent honesty and humility. Many have averred that since the coming of this media icon, information management in the Ministry of Defence has been on the upward trajectory. They believed that he is the Media Oracle to Nigeria, especially at this point the country is grappling with various security challenges

To the former Vice Chancellor Ekiti State University, Prof. Dipo Kolawole who supervised his Msc in his congratulatory message noted this way ; “ *you are a pride to all of us* . Congratulations while wishing you more honours”.

On his own part the immediate past Chief of Army Staf Lt Gen TY Buratai in Congratulating him he said . “You really deserve it… You have paid your dues in defence information dissemination and management, Congratulations for a well-deserved recognition.  More awards coming.
 No doubt dogged, dilligent, dedicated and disciplined Prince Abdulkadri has paid his dues over the years and has raised the bars of Journalistic Reportage to attract more awards and recognitions in the the foreseeable future.