Before we delve into the meaning of the Nigerian Army Logo and its components, let’s take a look the how the force was created;

A Brief History Of The Nigerian Army:

The history of the Nigeria Army dates back to the year 1863 when the Imperial Governor of Lagos, Lt Glover of the Royal Navy put together a team of 18 men form the Northern part of the country to secure the British trade routes around Lagos. This small unit grew into what would later be the Hausa Constabulary and later became part of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF).

In 1956, the Northern and Southern regiments were renamed to the “Queen’s Own Nigerian Regiment (QONR)” after Queen Elizabeth II paid a visit to the country. That same year, the Britain granted military autonomy to her dependencies, and the QONR was renamed “the Nigerian Military Force (NMF)”.

However during the independence in 1960, the name was once again changed to the Royal Nigerian Army. The name, “the Nigerian Army (NA)”, came into use after Nigeria assumed the status of a Republic in 1963.

The Nigerian Army Logo And It’s Components

The Nigerian Army uses a logo that possesses three vertical stripes (red, black and red). On it is the emblem of an eagle, an Interlaced triangle with 6 pointed star, and the Arabic Inscription.

Below are the meaning of the components;

Eagle:

The Eagle in the Nigerian army logo represents the graceful power, strength, and elegance of the Nigerian Army. Just like the real life Eagle, the Nigerian army are expected to be active when it comes to surveillance so as to be able to strike with accuracy when need be.

Interlaced triangle with 6 Pointed Stars:

This Interlaced triangle with 6 Pointed Stars dates back to 1914 during the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates by Lord Fredrick Ludgard. This was done to show how the northern and southern protectorates, were brought together to form a nation that is indivisible.

The Arabic Inscription:

The Arabic inscriptions that you see on the Nigerian Army logo has generated a lot of controversy with many thinking that it was a way of trying to Islamize Nigeria. But this it not the case

The Arabic Inscription is described as “NASRUNMINALLAH.” This simply means “Victory Comes From God Alone.” This motto was first used during the time of Shehu Usman Dan Fodio. The Sokoto army had a banner with the inscription ‘Nasruminallah’ on it. This banner was always with them each time they go into battle with the invading colonial forces.

The banner would later be adopted by the British government formally during the Colonial era and it was handed down even after the colonial era.

The Red Color:

The red color signifies the enemy forces, their installations and their activities, it also represents the blood of those who died in service to their motherland.

The Black Color:

The black color depicts the indigenous color of the forces, which is black. The colour also depicts the Calvary, armored and mechanized troops of the Nigerian Army.

Hope you’ve learned something new about the Nigerian Army today. Please don’t forget to share your opinions with us in the comments section.

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