Princess Owowoh is first Nigerian female officer to graduate from Sandhurst

Photo credit: PA Images

Princess Owowoh Oluchukwu, a Nigerian officer in the UK Army has become the first female officer cadet from Nigeria to graduate from the UK Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS).

The 24 year old was made an officer in the British Army during the Sovereign’s Commissioning Parade on Friday.

“It is a profound honour to be the first Nigerian female officer to commission from the esteemed Royal Military Academy Sandhurst,” Owowoh said about her feat.

“This achievement is not mine alone, but a testament to the unwavering support of my family, mentors, instructors, and countless individuals who believed in me every step of the way. As I look ahead to the future, I am committed to representing Nigeria with pride, and to making a positive difference in the world,” she said.

The Royal Military Academy trains officers to serve in the British Army, teaching them leadership, military skills, and professionalism.

Owowoh, alongside 134 other graduates had undergone 44 weeks of training in the UK, and upon graduation received commissions as officers to serve in various capacities within the Army, including commanding troops, leading missions, and providing strategic direction.

Owowoh will return to serve in the Nigerian military where she is expected to join the intelligence core.

Owowoh joins some of Nigeria’s past leaders who graduated from the Royal Military Academy including Yakubu Gowon, former head of state and president of Nigeria, and Emmanuel Undiandeye, chief of defense intelligence in Nigeria.

The British High Commission in Nigeria lauded Owowoh’s achievement as “an inspiration to many young women who dream to lead.”

“The UK is proud to celebrate this historic occasion with Nigeria and congratulates newly Commissioned Officer Owowoh Princess Oluchukwu on her remarkable achievement,” it said.

Owowoh began her journey in Nigeria having joined the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 2018, in Kaduna State, Nigeria.

During her second year at the NDA, she was appointed a Cadet Lance Corporal and became a Cadet Sergeant in her fourth year. In the same year, she completed the Academics Wing of the commissioning course and graduated with first class honours in Biological Sciences.

By her fifth year in the Academy, Owowoh was appointed as a Company Senior Under Officer Charlie (CSUO C), a position she held alongside two other female counterparts.

Their appointment made history as they became the first women to assume the position of CSUO in the academy.