Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla was born on December 20, 1968, in Enugu Ezike, Igbo Eze North LGA, Enugu State.
He completed his West African Senior School Certificate (WASC) from the NMS Zaria in June 1987, where he excelled in the Sciences. He graduated as the best boy in his class, earning A1 grades in all subjects except English language. He joined the 39th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA) and obtained a BSc in Mathematics.
He received the Sword of Honour as the best naval cadet in his course. He was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant on September 16, 1992, and has since risen through the ranks, achieving the rank of Rear Admiral on September 16, 2021.
In addition, he completed various professional and academic courses, including the STC NNS QUORRA, Basic Hydrography at the National Hydrographic School in India, Junior and Senior Staff Courses at AFCSC Jaji, and the National Defense College (NDC) Course 22.
Naval Service: Rear Admiral Ogalla has served on numerous naval vessels, including NNS AMBE, ARADU, LANA, EKUN, AGU, QUORRA, BEECROFT, DELTA, and PATHFINDER. Notably, while serving on NNS EKUN, he participated in the ECOMOG Operations in Liberia in 1996.
As the Base Operations Officer at NNS PATHFINDER, he was responsible for coordinating anti-illegal bunkering operations and overall policing duties of the base, which led to a significant reduction in illegal activities within the base area of operations.
Career Appointments: Throughout his career, Rear Admiral Ogalla has held various appointments and positions of responsibility.
He has served as an instructor, Commanding Officer of the Naval Navigational and Hydrographic School (NNHS), Staff Officer 1 Survey and Deputy Director Instruments at the Naval Hydrographic Office (NNHO), ADCP, Deputy Director Hydrography, and Deputy Director of Plans and Requirements at Naval Headquarters (NHQ).
He also served as a Directing Staff and Divisional Secretary at the National Defense College (NDC) and Director of Audit at the National Assembly (NASS) NHQ. Currently, he serves as the Deputy Director of Logistics and Administration (DLL) at NHQ.
During his tenure at NNHS, he taught various subjects related to geodesy, datum conversion, tidal predictions and analysis, satellite surveying, bathymetry, and more. As the Commanding Officer, he established a partnership between the school and Teledyn Marines, a reputable OEM in the United States.
This partnership facilitated the procurement of survey equipment, leading to practical training improvements. He was also involved in the revision of the school’s curriculum to align with International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) requirements.
At NNHO, he played a key role in the localization of tidal prediction and analysis and contributed to the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem survey sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2004.
Furthermore, during his tenure at NDC, he contributed to the improvement of the college’s research package and led a research study tour to China and South Korea in 2018. As DLL, he is responsible for analyzing previous naval operations and activities to draw lessons for doctrinal and operational improvements.
The Senior officer possesses a distinguished array of accolades, including the FSS, MSS, DSS, and GSS. In addition, he holds memberships in esteemed organizations such as the Nigerian Hydrographic Society, Nigerian Institute of Management, and the International Earth Rotation Services.
Notably, he is recognized as a fellow of the Occupational Safety and Health Association of the UK. Personally, he is happily married to Mrs. Ijeoma Ogalla, and their union has been blessed with two children.
His hobbies include jogging, reading, as well as immersing himself in the realms of science and nature through listening and research.
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