Lt. Col. Onyinyechi Anele: The Voice of a New Era in the Nigerian Army

On April 22, 2025, the Nigerian Army made history. Lieutenant Colonel Onyinyechi Appolonia Anele was appointed Acting Director of Army Public Relations—the first woman ever to hold the role. Her ascension to this prominent position marks a milestone in gender inclusion for the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Born in Imo State to Warrant Officer Cyraicus Anele and the late Mrs. Appolonia Anele, Onyinyechi Anele has long combined discipline with academic rigor. She attended Army Children’s School at Rukuba Barracks and Command Day Secondary School in Jos. She earned a Diploma and Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from the University of Jos and completed her National Youth Service before commissioning into the Army on December 8, 2007, as part of Direct Regular Course 15.

Her military-path blended strategic communication and operational roles. She was a Military Public Information Officer with NIBATT‑5 during UNAMID in Darfur (2008), and later served on staff assignments at Nigerian Army School of Public Relations (NASPRI) and the Army HQ Civil‑Military Relations department.

Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 2021, Anele has also served as Public Relations Officer to the Chief of Army Staff and in Defence Space Administration. She was Acting Executive Director of Corporate Affairs at Nigerian Army Welfare Holdings Limited (NAWHLG) from January to October 2023.

Her credentials are thorough. Anele earned:

• A Master of Arts in Gender, Peace & Security from Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Accra (2013)
• A Master of Arts in Leadership & Strategic Studies from Nigerian Defence Academy (2024)

She has completed specialized military and communication courses:

• Young Officers Course (2010), Media Ops (2013), Advanced PR (2016), Strategic Communications (2025) at NASPRI
• Peace Support Military training in Ghana (2011–13), and UN Gender in Peace Ops at Bamako, Mali and SwedInt, Sweden (2015–17)
• Joint Info Ops course in the UK (2015)

She’s an Associate Member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and recipient of the Forces Service Star (FSS).

Her appointment followed the redeployment of Major General Onyema Nwachukwu to the Army Heritage and Future Centre. Anele assumed office during a ceremony at Nigeria Army Headquarters in Abuja on April 22, 2025, where she pledged loyalty, professionalism, and a renewed focus on transparency in military communications.

Such modern commitments reflect her belief that “media and defence correspondents are partners in progress,” and that robust civil–military relations depend on transparent messaging.

Anele’s leadership—characterized as disciplined, intelligent, and proactive—comes at a critical moment. Her elevation is expected to introduce strategic reforms: to modernize the Army’s public image, foster trust through social media, and deepen engagement in civil society.

She has already partnered with defence correspondents and NIPR to advance professional communications, pledging to uphold “truth, fairness, and responsibility… for the good of our great country, Nigeria”.

Her image is emblematic: Nigeria’s first female spokesperson for any military arm—not just the Army, but across the Navy and Air Force—signaling a systemic shift toward merit-based advancement

For Nigerian women, especially those in uniform, Anele’s appointment says this: competence, not gender, will define leadership roles. Her example encourages a new generation of women to pursue military careers that blend communication and command.

Career Timeline: Breaking Down the Key Years

• 2007 Dec 8 – Commissioned into Nigerian Army, Direct Regular Course 15
• 2008 – UNAMID Military Public Information Officer, Darfur
• 2010–17 – Leadership in communication and peacekeeping courses
• 2013 – MA, Gender, Peace & Security, Ghana
• 2016–21 – Rise to Major: PR roles under COAS and Defence Space Administration
• 2021 – Promoted Lieutenant Colonel; assumed higher-level public affairs assignments
• 2023 – Executive Director of Corporate Affairs, NAWHLG
• 2024 – MA, Leadership & Strategic Studies
• Apr 22, 2025 – Becomes Acting Director of Army Public Relations

Under Anele’s leadership, the Army’s public affairs department aims to strengthen its strategic posture. Key initiatives include:

1. Enhanced transparency – building trust by proactively sharing accurate information.
2. Strategic social media use – engaging broader audiences and countering misinformation.
3. Media partnerships – collaborating with defence journalists and professional bodies.
4. Gender inclusion – using her position to inspire other women into defence communications.

Lt. Col. Anele’s appointment transcends personal achievement; it redefines how the Nigerian military communicates and represents itself on Africa’s largest stage. As the new spokesperson, she embodies the Army’s evolving identity—disciplined yet transparent, authoritative yet accessible.

In Anele’s own words: “This historic moment is not just mine—but a beacon for all women in uniform.” Her leadership in strategic communications is set to become Nigeria’s new baseline—and proof of what inclusive, merit-based defence leadership should look like.