REMEMBERING A TRUE AFRICAN AND NIGERIAN NAVAL PIONEER: LATE ADMIRAL NELSON BOSSMAN SOROH

Rear Admiral Nelson Bossman Soroh, MFR
FSS idc
Chief of the Naval Staff (January 1973 – July 1975)
“PERPETUAL FIRST LORD OF THE NIGERIAN
ADMIRALTY”
Admiral Soroh was not the first indigenous officer
to rise to the headship of the Nigerian Navy, but
his career was characterised by a litany of
Nigerian, West African and African firsts.
*He was the FIRST seaman officer to become the
Chief of the Naval Staff;
*the FIRST Able Seaman to become a cadet in the
whole of West Africa;
*the FIRST African to be accepted for training at
the Royal Navy for Sub-tech course with effect
from 21 August 1958;
*the FIRST Nigerian to command a warship when
he was appointed to command HMNS KADUNA,
taking over from an RN officer, Lieutenant
Commander Walting from December 1960;
* the FIRST black African to sail a warship
between Europe and Nigeria. He was
commanding officer of HMNS OGOJA which was
sailed to Lagos 27 September 1963.
*He was the FIRST commanding officer of the
flagship of the NNS NIGERIA (later renamed
OBUMA), a Dutch-built frigate.
*He was the FIRST Seaman to be appointed
Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff and the
appointment was made personal to him at a time
when the CNS was absorbed almost totally in
state matters.
*He was the FIRST Admiral to publish his
autobiography, “A Sailor’s Dream” adjudged to be
a classic on the Nigerian Navy and leadership.

BY Dip Tounaregha A. Cicero