Benin Barracks gives ceremonial retirement of General Akerejola

The Nigerian Army Supply and Transport Barracks hosted a grand parade on Saturday as Major General Erema Akerejola retired after decades of service. Family, friends and senior officials gathered under cloudy skies to witness the symbolic end-of-tour tradition.

The troops marched in precise review order as a bugler sounded the final call, marking Akerejola’s departure from active duty. Colleagues described the atmosphere as “emotionally charged”, with current and former soldiers offering tributes to a commander remembered for discipline and a hard line on national unity.

Akerejola, whose duties ranged from logistics to field operations, leaves with honors that include coordinating counterinsurgency in the Northeast and modernizing transportation command strategies.

Senior officers called him “a leader whose courage set the pace for those behind him.”

The ceremony concluded with the ritual slow passage through the ranks.

Akerejola in an open-top staff car, acknowledging the men and women who served alongside him.

For many in attendance, the parade was more than just protocol: It was a public thank you for a career that spanned more than four Army chiefs of staff.