Life Without Limits

Ahmed Rufai Ajala is a serving Naval Officer in the rank of Lieutenant Commander and serving currently onboard HMS Nottingham, a Type 42 Air Defence Destroyer based in Portsmouth. BHM talked to him about the challenges, the rewards and the life changing experiences of serving in the Royal Navy. He was awarded the MBE in 2002.

BHM: What first inspired you to join the Royal Navy?
Ahmed Rufai Ajala: I grew up with a military background and a regimented, disciplined upbringing as my father served in the Nigerian Army, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. I had not always had an interest as such but later developed one and wanted to be a pilot. The Navy appealed more because you got to travel as well as fly from ships however, at the selection process, my eyesight was borderline and didn’t meet the stringent requirements. I was encouraged to apply for a different specialisation so I became a Weapons Engineer Officer.

BHM: Can you briefly describe your rise up the ranks.
ARA: I joined after my A-levels as a Midshipman, following initial training ashore and at sea, I was promoted to Sub Lieutenant after two years. Three years later and having gained an in-service Degree in Electrronic Engineering, I was promoted to Lieutenant. I was selected for promotion to Lieutenant Commander nine years later having served in a variety of interesting positions including recruiting officers from the London area, a six month operational deployment with the Army in Sierra Leone and another to Basrah in iraq, several deployents at sea in HMS York, instructing at the maritime Warfare School and a year’s full time study for an MSc.

BHM: Can you describe some of the greatest challenges you have faced since serving in the Navy.
ARA: Being in a ‘Land’ operational environment such as Sierra Leone or Iraq and playing soldiers for the most part was interesting, challenging, and a fantastic opportunity to learn about yourself and the how the Army operate. It is great to be taken out of your comfort zone every now and then. Additionally, being a ‘Leader’, you never stop learning but you also never stop leading, particularly when under pressure and the buck stops at you. You literally earn your rank and pay at those moments when older, bolder and more experienced people look to you for the way forward and the answers. It’s a real challenge but rewarding when you get it right.

BHM: What are some of the greatest rewards?
ARA: I have been to some of the most fantastic places in the world, every continent except Australia, just about. I have been given a great deal of responsibility for people and other resources at an early age that I believe can’t be rivalled outside the service. I have worked with some of the most professional people I could ever hope to meet, and I have made some brilliant lifelong friends.

BHM: What would be your advice to a young person considering a career in the Navy?
ARA: It is a career not a job and soon becomes a way of life. It is rewarding if you make the most of the opportunities presented. Not everyone is suited to military let alone Naval life. There will be many challenges personal and professional to overcome and you will need determination, true strength of character and a belief that there isn’t a ceiling to stop you getting as far as you wish to go.

BHM: Have you got any ambitions left that you would like to achieve whilst in service?
ARA: I would like to go as high as I can go in the Navy because I enjoy it and I believe there is the opportunity to do that and I have the potential. I would like to see a greater number of people from the ethnic minorities joining and making great progress. It has improved since my joining but still takes time and you have to have the interest initially once the perception about the Navy starts to change. Therefore by doing well, I hope to be part of that effort to change perceptions, so that if the young kids wish to serve in the Navy today, they can see that they won’t be the first nor the last, and that it is achievable. I have been similarly inspired by people like Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice in the US, and many Black British public figures who have done well in their respective professions and hold
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