Saliu Atawodi

AVM. Saliu Atawodi was born on the 4th of July 1952 at Idah General Hospital in Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State. He had his primary education at Ajaka/Idah and later attended the Nigerian Military School, Zaria from 1967-1971. Thereafter he joined the Nigerian Defense Academy in 1972 as a member of Regular Cadet Course 12. He was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer on 14 December 1974.

He attended the Primary Flying Training at 301 Flying Training School, Kaduna on the Bulldog Aircraft between 1973-1974 and thereafter proceeded to the Royal Air Force, United Kingdom for his basic and advance jet flying. He became the first Nigerian to undergo advance fast jet flying course at RAF Valley, North Wales on the Hawker Hunter. Thereafter he attended the fast jet instructors’ course with the Pakistan Air Force, Risalpur. In addition, he obtained the prestigious Weapons Instructor Rating from the RAF Brawdy in South Wales in 1984.

He is Graduate of the Air War College, Karachi, Pakistan, an affiliate of the Karachi University, Pakistan.

Saliu Atawodi rose through various promotions ladder in the Nigerian Air Force to the last rank of Air Vice Marshal.

Air Vice Marshal Atawodi has flown several aircraft in the Nigerian Air force inventory as well as overseas. Some of the aircraft he has flown include Bulldog, Jet Provost MK 3A, Jet Provost MK 5A, Hunter 17, Hunter F6, Hawk and T-37. He has also flown the t-38, Mig 15, Mig 17, Mig 21 and the Alpha Jet.

Personal Life / Family
AVM. Atawodi is married to Winnie Atawodi, an experienced banker and together they have built a family consisting of 4 children. Ebi Saliu Atawodi is the eldest child and a graduate of Imperial College London and currently the General Manager of Uber Nigeria. Uneku Saliu-Atawodi is an Internationally acclaimed Polo player. Ele Saliu Atawodi is a barrister of the Nigerian bar and a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK. The youngest child Amana, is an ex stoweian and currently a college student studying for his first degree in Electrical Engineering and Electronics.

Operational Excellence
During the Niger/Chad border conflict, he led the Mig 21 fighter deployment in support of the Nigerian Army’s Operation. In 1988 he designed and built the Air Force Air to Ground Firing Range in Kwenev, Makurdi. He became the first NAF fighter pilot to deploy the Air-to-Air Missile on the same Kwenv Range. For over 8 years, he led the Mig 21 aerobatics display team, the capability for which he was widely acknowledged in the Nigerian Air Force.

Infrastructural and Human Development
In 1988, the military administration of General Makka in the then Benue State appointed Atawodi who at the time was at the rank of Squadron Leader, as the Director, Directorate Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI). A job he combined with his extensive flying duties. Within a period of a year, the Benue DFRRI which was berated for poor performance rapidly improved from 19th position among the States to 4th under Atawodi’s supervision.

As Director of DFRRI in the then Benue State, he used his position to touch the lives of rural communities like opening of rural roads and electrification of towns and villages. Under his leadership, 1700 km of roads were constructed and 19 towns and villages across the length and breadth of Benue State were provided with electricity.

Notable among these villages were Ushongo and Achuwa in the Tiv speaking area, Upu-London and Ogoli- Ugboju in the Idoma area and Ojuku and Ajaka in the Igala speaking area.

When the Igalamela Community Development Association (ICDA)put up a memo for the creation of Igalamela LGA in 1995, he accepted the call to service by his community and led the lobby group for the movement for the creation of the LGA.

He is a strong supporter of Church and Mosque building projects across Igala land. He runs a purely private scholarship sponsorship project with several youths as beneficiaries.

He has been awarded several traditional titles including:


 * Amana-Achofe by his Royal Majesty the Attah Igala in 1985.
 * Dikenagha 2007
 * Oga Etemahi Igalamela 2008
 * Ohioma Ejeh Ankpa 2009

Between the ranks of Pilot Officer and Air Vice Marshal, Saliu Atawodi has held several appointments. These appointments include:


 * Commanding Officer Operation Conversion Unit Air Defence Group Makurdi
 * Commander Air Defence Group Makurdi
 * Commander Air Weapons School, Kainji
 * Director of Operation, NAF Headquarters, Lagos (1999-2000)
 * Senior Air Staff Officer, NAF Training Command, Makurdi (2000-2001)
 * Air Officer Commanding Tactical Air Command, Makurdi(2001-2004)
 * Air Officer Inspections NAF Headquarters, Abuja (2004-2006)
 * Chief of Policy and Plans, Defence Headquarters, Abuja (2006-2008)
 * Chairman, Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Safety & Security, Office of the National Security Adviser (2006-2012)

Medals and Decorations
Some of the medals and decorations received by AVM Atawodi since he joined the service include:


 * Forces Services Star FSS
 * Meritorious Services Star. MSS
 * Distinguished Service Star. DSS
 * Psc (+) Past Staff College (Dagger)
 * Fellow of Air War College, Pakistan

Due to his commitment and dedication to duty, Air Vice Marshal Atawodi was awarded the National Honor, Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 2005.

He is a keen Lawn Tennis player, having played for the NAF (Nigerian Air Force), as the Air Force No 1 ranking player. Owing to this he set up the SAA Tennis Foundation, a not for profit organization organizing tournaments for upcoming young tennis talents which gives them the opportunity to develop their sportsmanship. The foundation will also take talent on board and invest in their training and growth in the near future.

Since his retirement from the military in 2008, he has founded his own company, Touchstone Nigeria Limited, an IT and Security company paving the way for new technology and fresh ideas in the industry.

He is also the Chairman of the board involved in the development project for the building of a medical city in Giri, Abuja.

As a respected statesman and an avid politician in his state, he has been recognized as an influential member in his party. He was appointed as the Kogi Ambassador for Oral Health, a mission to ensure that ample knowledge on the issue of oral healthcare is made available for those in the rural and urban areas.