BACKGROUND

 

1.​Air Vice Marshal Michael Chinegwu Ekwueme.

2.​Origin: Ebe, Udi LGA, Enugu.

3.​Date of Birth: 19 August 1973.

4.​Schools Attended and Qualifications:

a.​Artisan Primary School and Ekulu Primary School, Enugu, 1978 -1983 -

First School Leaving Certificate

b.​College of Immaculate Conception, Enugu, 1983-1989 - Senior School Certificate

c.​Nigerian Defence Academy,Kaduna1990-1995 member 42nd Regular Course - BSc Chemistry Second Class Upper Division and commissioned Pilot Officer in 1995

d.​Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 2006-2008 PGD and Masters in Telecommunications Engineering

e.​University of Bradford, United Kingdom, as Chevening Scholar 2010-2011

Masters in Conflict, Security and Development

f. ​International Aviation College, Ilorin, for Flying Training, 2013- 2015

Commercial Pilot License Multi Engine and Instrument Rating

g.​Flight Safety International, Atlanta US, for Beechcraft Kingair 350i Type-rating Course, February 2016.

h.​University of Ibadan, 2021, Master of Science, Strategic Studies.

i.​Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna – PhD Defence and Strategic Studies, 2023.

5.​Courses Attended:

a.​Basic Officers’ Armament Maintenance Course - AFIT, Kaduna, 1996.

b.​Mi-35 Helicopter Armament Maintenance Course - Russia, 2000.

c.​Junior Staff Course 51/2001 - AFCSC, Jaji, 2001.

d.​United Nations Junior Officers’ Course - Sweden, 2004.

e.​Negotiation Course - Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, Badagry, October 2004.

f.​Basic Instructional Techniques Course - AFIT, Kaduna, April 2005.

g.​Senior Course 28 - AFCSC, Jaji, 2005-2006.

h.​Monitoring and Evaluation Training - 2010

i.​International Humanitarian Law Instructors’ Course in Jaji, 2012

j.​Air Force War College Nigeria, Course 1, Makurdi - 2016

k.​War College Directing Staff Orientation Course - 2017

l.​Joint Operational Planning Course,Abuja - 2017

m.​National Defence College, Course 26, Abuja - 2018

n.​Ethical Leadership Training, Abuja - 2022

o.​Transformative and Innovative Leadership Training, Abuja - 2024

p.​Acculturation Leadership Training, Abuja - 2024

q.​Programs Monitoring and Evaluation Training, South Africa - 2024

 

6.​Aircraft types flown:

a.​Air Bettle.

b.​DA-40.

c.​DA-42.

d.​Beechcraft 350i.

7. Operations participated in. Flew missions in:

a.​Operation AWATSE

b.​Operation SHARAN DAJI

c.​Operation LAFIYA DOLE

d.​Operation HADIN KAI

e.​Operation WHIRL PUNCH

8.​Appointments Held:

a. Armament Officer, 1 Armament Maintenance Centre, Makurdi and 3 Armament Maintenance Centre Kainji, 1997-2001.

b. Armament Officer - 97 Special Operations Group, Port Harcourt, 2001-2002.

c. Student Pilot (SP 33) - 301 Flying Training School, Kaduna, 2002-2005.

d. Instructor - Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna, 2005.

e. OC Armament Squadron and Acting CO BSW - 97 Special Operations Group, Port Harcourt, 2006-2009.

 

f.​​Staff Officer 1, Directorate of Armament, HQ NAF, 2009-2010.

g. ​Directing Staff, AFCSC Jaji, 2010-2013.

h.​CO, 1 Armament Maintenance Center, Makurdi, 2013.

i.​​CO, Academic Wing, 401 FTS, Kaduna, 2015-2017.

j.​​GOO, 401 Flying Training School, Kaduna, 2018.

k.​Director, Test and Quality Assurance, Air Force Research and Development Centre, Kaduna, 2018.

l.​​Directing Staff, National Defence College, Abuja, Nigeria. 2019-2020

m.​Director, ICT, National Defence College, Abuja. 2021

n.​Commander, 109 Combat Reconnaissance Group, Yola 2021-2022

o. ​Chief of Staff, Tactical Air Command  Aug2022 – Jan 2023

p.​Chief of Staff, Air Training Command Jan 2023 – Jun 2023

q.​Director of Evaluation HQ NAF Jun 2023 – Feb 2025

r.​​Commandant, Air Warfare and Doctrine Centre, Abuja Feb 2025 – 7 Jan 2026

s.         Air Officer Commanding Tactical Air Command 7 Jan 2026 - Date

9.   Awards:

a.​Overall Best Graduating Student, College of Immaculate Conception, Enugu, 1989.

b.​Best All-Round Student (Air Force), Junior Staff Course 51/2001, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.

c.​Chief of Air Staff Award, Best in Airpower, Air Force War College Nigeria, Course 1.

d.​Chief of Air Staff Commendation, February 2022 for effective contributions to NAF operations.

e.​Chief of Air Staff Commendation, August 2024 for successful planning and execution of NAF@60 Celebrations.

 

 

10. Decorations:

a.      GSS

b.​DSS

c.​MSS

d.​FSS

e..​FCM

f.​psc(+)

g.​fawc

h.​fdc(+)

 

11. Career Highpoints:

​a.​Lead Speaker at NAF Day 2022 Seminar, Kano - May 2022.

​b.​Chairman, Organising Committee, Nigerian Air Force at Sixty ​Celebration and Third African Air Forces Forum – 2023/2024

12. Membership of Societies:

 Fellow Chemical Society of Nigeria.

 Member Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria.

 Member Nigeria Institute of Management.

 Member Society for Peace Studies and Practice.

 

13. Marital Status: Married and blessed with children.

 

14. Hobbies:

Reading and writing (written several articles for publication including the last edition of NAF Airman magazine; World affairs monitoring and Walking.