BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRO-NIGERIAN " AIR MARSHALL OLUSEYI PETINRIN " WAS THE CHIEF OF DEFENSE STAFF- A VERY EXPERIENCE AIR FORCE COMMAND OFFICER : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

Profile of the New Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Oluseyi Petinrin Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin was born on 19 January 1955 at Ipetu-Ijesa in Ori-Ade Local Government Area of Osun State. He did both his primary and secondary school education in Osun State before he started his military career.  Air Vice Marshal Petinrin enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 1974 as a member of Regular Course 16 and was commissioned Pilot Officer on 3 January 1977. Air Marshal Petinrin has attended several courses since he joined the Nigerian Air Force.  From 1977 to 1978 he attended the Undergraduate Pilot Training in Laughlin Air Force Base and Fighter Pilot Lead-in-Training at Maxwell Air Force Base both in the United States of America where he qualified as a fighter pilot. In 1982 he attended a Flight Safety Course in Pakistan. Air Marshal Petinrin also did his Junior Division Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji in 1980 and between 1982 and 1983, he attended the Air Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, United States for his Senior Command and Staff Course. Air Marshal Petinrin is also a member of Course 10 of the prestigious National Defence College (NDC), Abuja, Nigeria. Some of the aircraft flown by Air Marshal Petinrin include Bulldog, L-29, Alpha Jet and MIG 21. Air Marshal Petinrin has held several appointments some of which are Officer Commanding ‘B’ Squadron in Air Defence Group Maiduguri, Operations Officer of NAF Station Maiduguri, DS AFCSC, Military Assistant to CAS HQ NAF, S01 Operations HQ Training Command Kaduna, Group Operations Officer 99 Air Weapons School (AWS) Kainji and later Commander 99 AWS Kainji. He was the Director of Evaluation (DOEVAL) HQ NAF before his posting to the NDC as a DS. He became the Director, National Military Strategy at the NDC. From the NDC, he was posted to the Headquarters Tactical Air Command Makurdi as the Senior Air Staff Officer before being deployed to the Defence Headquarters as the Director Electronic Warfare. He then became the Chief of Defence Communications before his last appointment as the Air Offficer Commanding Training Command. He was appointed the Chief of the Air Staff on Wednesday 20th August, 2008. Air Marshal Petinrin has received several awards and medals. He was first in order of merit on his graduation from NDA in 1974. He won the Best Officer Cadet Award at his graduation from Primary Flying Training Wing Kaduna and was also Best Overall Foreign Student Pilot on his graduation from Undergraduate Pilot Training Course at Laughlin Air Force Base, United States of America. Air Marshal Petinrin also bagged the Chief of Defence Staff Award as well as the Chief of the Air Staff Award on his graduation at the National Defence College. He also topped his Masters of Strategic Studies Class on graduation from the University of Ibadan. His decorations include Forces Services Star, Meritorious Services Star and Defence Services Star. Until his new appointment, Air Marshal Petinrin was the Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Petinrin is married and blessed with 4 children. His hobbies include reading, jogging and playing squash.