1. Major General Olatokunbo Musiliu Bello
was born on 19 June 1971 into the family of Alhaji Bello Balogun to Mr Rafiu
Olayiwola Bello at Kajola Compound on 5, Oniwaya Road, Agege LGA of Lagos State.
2. He was admitted into the Nigerian Defence
Academy on 17 August 1990 as a member of 42 RC and graduated with a
Bachelor of Science Degree in Biological Sciences. He was commissioned into the
Corp of Infantry as a Second Lieutenant on 10 September 1995 and was promoted
to his present rank of Major General on 10 September 2022.
3. He attended Ansar-ud-Deen Primary School,
Itire, Lagos from 1977 - 1983 and Atunrase Boy’s High School, Surulere Lagos
between 1983 - 1988. Graduated in 1995
with a degree in Biological Sciences from Nigerian Defence Academy in 1995. He also
holds a Master’s Degree in International Affairs and Strategic Studies (MIASS)
in 2011 and Master of Philosophy Degree, MPhil in Defence and Security Studies
(DSS) in 2022 both from the Nigeria Defence Academy. Currently conducting Doctoral research on
Security Sector Reforms in view of a PhD Degree at the same institution.
4. Military
Courses attended include:
a. YOC (Inf) Apr 1996.
b. Mor Pl Comd Course Oct 1996.
c. Range Management Basic and Adv Courses
in May and Oct 1997 respectively in Jaji.
d. Infantry Company Comd Course at Fort
Benning Georgia, USA, Jul to Dec 2002.
e. Bn Comd Course in Jaji, 2010.
f. Jnr and Snr Staff Courses at Jaji in
2001 and 2006 respectively.
g. NATO Comprehensive Operations Planning
Course at NATO School in Sweden October 2013.
h. NATO Intelligence Support to Asymmetric
Warfare at the NATO School in Germany April 2014.
i. Exercise Planning Course in Nairobi,
Kenya in September 2014.
j. NATO Crisis Management Course at the
NATO School in Germany, February 2015.
k. National Defence College as a Participant
from August 2016 to July 2017.
l. Crisis Communication Course, Maiduguri,
August 2018.
m. Havard Kennedy Executive Course, at Nigerian
Army Resource Center (NARC), April 2019.
n. DIA Strategic Communication Course at
NARC, May 2021.
5. Major
General Olatokunbo Musiliu Bello since commissioned has participated in several
Military Operations both within and Outside Nigeria. Some of which include:
a. OP Harmony (IV) Bakassi Pennisula, 1999.
b. United Nations Mission in Liberia
(UNMIL), 2004.
c. African Union Mission in Somalia
(AMISOM), 2013 - 2016.
d. OP LAFIYA DOLE in North East Nigeria,
2017 – 2019.
e. OP DELTA SAFE in South South Nigeria,
2019.
f. OP HADARIN DAJI North West Nigeria, 2019
-2021.
g. OP HADIN KAI in North East Nigeria,
2023-2024.
6. He
has also participated in some notable Military Exercises both within and
outside Nigeria. Some of which are:
a. Ex EAGLE RING 2006 in Kotangora.
b. Ex AFRICA ENDEAVOUR 2013 in Lusaka,
Zambia.
c. Exercise AMANI AFRICA II in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia and Lohatla, South Africa in 2015.
d. Ex MUGUN BUGU 2022 in Kotangora.
7. Since commissioned, Major General Olatokunbo Bello has held command, staff
and instructor appointments. Some of which include:
a. 3 Guards Bn, Abuja from 1995-2000 as Platoon
Commander.
b. Depot NA, Zaria from 2000-2003 as an
Instructor.
c. Headquarters 9 Brigade in Lagos as GSO3 Training
from 2003-2004.
d. AHQ DOA(A) as SO2 Posting/Promotion from
2004-2005.
e. United Nations Mission in Liberia as Military
Observer from 2005-2006.
f. HQ 2 Division Garrison, Ibadan as GSO2
Training from Jan to July 2006.
g. Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna as Instructor
from 2007-2010.
h. AHQ Office of Nigeria Army Transformation,
Abuja from 2010-2012.
i. Commanding Officer Admin Battalion 82
Div Gar, Enugu from 2012-13.
j. African
Union Commission as Senior Military Information Analyst in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia from 2013-2016.
k. 7
Div NA as Deputy Chief of Staff G4 and Deputy Chief
of Staff G9, Maiduguri, respectively from Aug 2017 – Jan 2019.
l. Nigerian
Army Resource Centre, Abuja, from Jan 2019 – Apr 2019 as Senior Resource
Fellow.
m. HQ
6 Division NA, Port Harcourt, from Apr 2019 – Jul 2019 as Chief of Staff.
n. HQ
1 Brigade, Gusau, from Jul 2019 – Jan 2021 as Commander.
o. Land
Forces Simulation Centre Giri, Abuja as Deputy Director-General and Director of
Operations from Jan 2021 to May 2021.
p. TRADOC
NA, Minna, as Director of Training from May 2021 to Dec 2022.
q. NA
Heritage and Future Centre, Giri Abuja, as Director of Infantry Research from
Jan 2023 to March 2023.
r. Army
Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans as Director of Policy from Apr 2023
to Jul 2023.
s. Headquarters
Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin Kai as Deputy Theatre Commander
from July 2023 – February 2024.
t. Defence
Headquarters as Director of Support Services, Abuja, from February 2024 –
October 2025.
u. Defence
Headquarters as Director Defence Media Operations from October -November 2025.
v. Defence
Research and Development Bureau (DRDB) as Deputy Director-General till date.
8. Honours
and Awards. Major General Olatokunbo Bello is the recipient of the following Medals
and honours:
a. OP HARMONY IV Medal (Bakassi Penisula
Operations).
b. United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL)
Medal.
c. African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM)
Medal.
d. Defence Operations Medal.
e. Defence Staff Medal.
f. Forces
Service Star (FSS) Medal.
g. Meritorious Service Star (MSS)
Medal.
h. Distinguish Service Star
(DSS) Medal.
i. Passed Staff Course (psc).
j. Fellow Defence
College (fdc).
k. Field Command Medal (FCM).
l. Bsc (Hon).
m. MPhil (DSS).
n. MIASS.
o. MNIM.
9. Hobbies
include playing chess, watching football, reading history books, and engaging
in global /current affairs discourse.
10. Major
General Olatokunbo Bello would like to be remembered for being a reformer throughout
his military career years and as the officer who articulated the first Nigerian
Army Training Policy that birthed the introduction of new training impetus in
the Nigerian Army. Also, a personality committed to making changes that brings
about problem solving in any unit or capacity he served.
11.
He is happily married to Alhaja Hauwa Titilope Bello and the marriage is
blessed with children.
COMING SOON