It was a moment filled with cheers, reflection and warm nostalgia on 2 February 2026 as the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, returned to the Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja, Lagos—this time not as a child at play, but as the leader of the Nigerian Air Force.
As part of his official inspection programme, the Air Chief made a poignant stop at his childhood residences within the base, instantly transforming the visit into a deeply human encounter between past and present.
Residents, especially youngsters and mothers, poured out in excitement as he walked paths that once shaped his early life. The scene stood as a powerful testament that humble beginnings within the NAF community can rise to the highest levels of leadership through discipline, hard work and unwavering dedication.
The CAS visited the flat units where he lived for over a decade with his father, who rose through the ranks and retired with distinction as an Air Warrant Officer.
At each location, he warmly greeted residents and extended kind gestures, echoing a similar visit to his childhood home at the NAF Base in Kaduna last year.
Standing in familiar surroundings, Air Marshal Aneke shared vivid recollections of growing up on the base and spoke about the values. NAF
