Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu Takes Over as Director Naval Information

Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that with career experience spanning command duties ashore and afloat, staff duties and training of subordinate officers that exposed him to the gamut of naval operations and administration, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu was recently appointed as the Director of Naval Information and official spokesperson for the Nigerian Navy. With this position, he is expected to sustain the grounds gained while keying into the strategic directive of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla 

When the news filtered in that the Nigerian Navy (NN) authorities had deemed it fit to appoint Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu as the Director of Naval Information (DINFO) and official Spokesperson of the NN, the general consensus was that it was a good choice. 

Although a seaman, the Navy’s choice of Commodore Adams-Aliu to head the information department was succinctly captured by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral JD Akpan, who in a release to announce the appointment last week wrote “Adams-Aliu’s career experience which traverses command duties ashore and afloat, staff duties and training of subordinate officers exposed him to the gamut of naval operations and administration thus equipping him for higher responsibilities such as his recent appointment as DINFO”.

In the release made available to THISDAY on Friday, March 22, 2024, Commodore Adams-Aliu took over from Rear Admiral Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan who has been redeployed to Headquarters Naval Training Command as the Chief Staff Officer. 

The release reads in part, “The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla Admiralty Medal has approved the appointment of a new Director of Naval Information and official Spokesperson for the Nigerian Navy in the person of Commodore Aiwuyor Augustine Adams-Aliu.”

About Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu 

Commodore Aiwuyor Augustine Adams-Aliu was born on December 15, 1977 in Lagos into the family of Sir & Lady Adams Aliu. Notably, Sir Adams-Aliu is a veteran journalist who worked extensively as an editor with Daily Times of Nigeria, thus young Aiwuyor was exposed to the inner workings of the journalism profession early in life and developed a flair for public speaking and media relations. 

Adams-Aliu attended Shepherd Hill Primary School and Kings College Lagos before proceeding to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1995, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry in 1999 and was commissioned into the Nigerian Navy in the year 2000 as a member of 47 Regular Course. 

Commodore Adams-Aliu has attended several professional courses including the Captain Career Course at United States Army Infantry School, Atlanta, from 2007 to 2008.

 He also attended the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, for the Junior and Senior Staff Courses in 2004 and 2010 respectively. Adams-Aliu later graduated from the Naval War College Nigeria in 2018 and the United States Naval War College in 2019. 

Adams-Aliu commenced his naval career, serving as Watch Keeping Officer onboard various Nigerian Navy Ships from year 2000 to 2004. He also served as a military observer in the United Nations Mission in Liberia from 2011 – 2012.

 He was the Officer in Charge of Nigerian Navy Ship BENIN and Squadron Commander of SHALDAG Boat squadron from 2013 to 2014 and between 2016 and 2018, he was the Pioneer Commanding Officer, Nigerian Navy Ship KARADUWA, the second Nigerian Navy (indigenously) built Seaward Defence Boat (SDBII). 

From 2019 – 2020, he served as the Principal Staff Officer (Navy) to the then Chief of Defence Staff, General AG Olonisakin (rtd). Thereafter, from July 2020 to June 2021, he obtained a Master of Arts Degree in Strategic Security Studies from the National Defence University, Washington DC, where he won the award as Most Outstanding International Fellow in the College of International Security Affairs (CISA) for year 2021.

On graduation in 2021, Adams-Aliu was deployed as a Directing Staff and Member of Faculty at the Naval War College Nigeria. In March 2023, he assumed office as the Commanding Officer Forward Operating Base BADAGRY, and was later appointed Deputy Director Plans at Naval Headquarters in January 2024. The next month, he was elevated to the post of DINFO

His awards and decorations are Passed Staff Course, Meritorious Service Star, United Nations Medal, Nigerian Navy Command at Sea Badge, and Distinguished Fellow of the Naval War College (dagger+). 

Commodore Adams-Aliu is an associate member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM). 

He is also a Member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), International Institute of Professional Security (IIPS), and the United States Naval Institute (USNI). He is happily married to Dr. Loretta and the union is blessed with three children: two girls and a boy.