On Monday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, along with President Bola Tinubu, laid wreaths at the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day in honour of the Nigerian military personnel who lost their lives while performing their duties.
The Nigerian President oversaw the historic event at the National Arcade in Abuja for the first time since taking office. He inspected the Guard of Honour, which was escorted by Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Nigerian Legion detachments.
Subsequently, Tinubu placed a wreath on the unknown soldier’s tomb as a final tribute to the brave warriors who gave their lives to protect the country’s borders and international harmony.
During the event, there were three 21-gun salute volleys fired, the President signed the Remembrance Day Anniversary registers, and white pigeons were released to symbolise the unity of the country.
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Chief Justice of Nigeria Olukayode Ariwoola, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesome Wike, Minister of Defence Abubakar Badaru, and Minister of State for Bello Mattawale were also present at the wreath-laying ceremony.
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The Nigerian Legion Chairman, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, service chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, a member of the diplomatic corps, and a widow of one of the fallen heroes were among the others.
Every year on January 15, the nation honours its living and deceased military veterans who served in the World Wars, the Nigerian Civil War, and numerous peacekeeping operations with the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
On this day, which commemorates the end of the Nigerian Civil War in 1970, the armed forces’ sacrifices for upholding the nation’s peace and territorial integrity are remembered. The President, senior government officials, and military chiefs participate in a solemn ritual of laying wreaths at the National Cenotaph in Abuja, which is the centrepiece of the ceremony.
The wreath-laying ceremony on Monday, according to Senate President Akpabio, was the administration’s way of showing support for the people the fallen heroes left behind. In order to protect their wellbeing, he pledged to “do everything possible.”
The purpose of today’s event, according to Akpabio, is to let everyone know that they are not alone in their grief and that we are praying for God Almighty to comfort them and provide for their surviving children and siblings.
In a similar vein, Tajudeen Abbas, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, declared that the National Assembly would look out for the well-being of the soldiers’ surviving relatives.
They should understand that what they are doing is a great cause, and we will support them every step of the way, he said.
The Minister of Defence, for his part, stated that his ministry had all the resources required to meet the needs of the surviving families and facilitate the work of active service members.
The widows of the fallen heroes, meanwhile, bemoaned what they perceived as a lack of advancement in their welfare. They implored the current government to prioritise their well-being by establishing systems that facilitate their access to capital and businesses.
The National President, Military Widows Association, Mrs Veronica Aluko, said though the wreath-laying ceremony showed that their husbands did not die in vain, the living were in dire need of adequate welfare.
“We are remembering today that these people really left us,” she uttered. Furthermore, it is important to remember that their sacrifice was not in vain on this day. Though some have passed away and are forgotten, remembering them gives us greater courage.
However, we don’t want to go around pleading because if you do so now, businesses will close the following day. In order to raise money, we wanted to collaborate with some of these unions to sell small items like tickets, which is why we wrote the former president. We have permission to sell in a few states, including Osun State, where the governor granted us permission to do so. And we express our gratitude to him.
“We’ve not achieved much in the past 10 years,” said Mrs. Deborah Abel, National Secretary of the Military Widows’ Association, as she recalled the organization’s milestone over the previous ten years. We therefore hope and pray that the current administration will help, and perhaps then we will begin to see results. However, military widows and police widows have accomplished nothing over the last ten years.
Maj. Gen. Abdulmalik Jibrin (retd.), the Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, for his part, demanded a review of benefits owed to veterans of the armed forces, citing the devaluation of the current compensation due to inflation.
Jibrin contended, “Those who have served and left should have their pensions increased proportionately. The Nigerian Legion is left in charge of the families of the fallen heroes after providing them with their right to a gratuity and death benefits. However, the Nigerian Legion lacks the financial resources necessary to handle the weighty burden of tending to the families of all the fallen heroes.
Therefore, we demand that the government regularly examine our pensions and allowances in light of the current inflationary trend that we are all experiencing.
In addition, a number of notable Nigerians paid tribute to fallen heroes, including Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Dr. Agbu Kefas of Taraba State, Senator Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Muhammadu Yahaya of Gombe State, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, and Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State all paid tribute to the heroes.
The governors praised the bravery and sacrifice of Nigeria’s fallen heroes and acknowledged their contributions to the nation’s peace and unity as they laid wreaths at the grand finale of events commemorating the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration in their respective states.
Abiodun urged Nigerians in Ogun to have faith in the nation’s leaders, the government, and the current political system, claiming that Nigeria was about to rise once more.
“Those of us who lack the means or the courage to enlist in the military ought to support nation-building and patriotism instead. It is not our place to keep sowing the seeds of discord amongst ourselves. As we strive to be our brothers’ keeper, we shouldn’t start stoking internal strife,” Abiodun stated.
The governor of Lagos, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, honoured the nation’s fallen heroes and active military officers on Monday during the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Parade and Wreath Laying Ceremony, which took place at The Remembrance Arcade, Tafawa Balewa Square, in memory of the fallen.
In a similar vein, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde promised increased assistance to the families of fallen heroes.
Makinde promised to make sure the families of the fallen heroes had a respectable life during his administration.
Additionally, Kefas, the governor of Taraba State, promised the Nigerian Legion and the families of the fallen heroes the support of his administration.
“I sensed the pulse of my colleagues as a former combatant, and I paid my heartfelt respects to our heroes.”
“My administration will ensure that the Legion and families of fallen soldiers are taken care of – Fallen, but not forgotten,” Kefas said.
Governor Sani of Kaduna State declared that his administration would aid the Nigerian military in battling banditry, terrorism, and other related offences within the state.
The Arewa Consultative Forum stated on Monday that January 15 should honour the country’s distinguished sons who were slain in “cold blood” during the first military coup that occurred on that fateful day, rather than just being a day of remembrance for the armed forces.
The ACF states that January 15th is the 58th anniversary of a very tragic day in Nigerian political history—that is, the day the country’s first military coup occurred, which has distorted the country’s political evolution to this day.
Officer widows mourn their lost lives.
On Monday, a few widows of fallen military officers made a plea for help, claiming that the government has failed to provide them with any meaningful support.
At the Pantami Township Stadium in Gombe, where the government donated N6.6 million for the launch of the emblem and wreaths were laid in remembrance of fallen heroes, the widows gave speeches.
Ruth Yusuf-Baka, 55, spoke out and claimed that after each year’s donation, nothing reaches her because some of their leaders choose who gets what.
“My husband was 58 years old when he died in service in 2014,” the woman stated. Nothing has been given to us from the money that was made last year. We are in pain and our kids are receiving no support at all. My son has applied for recruitment more than twelve times, but he has not been recruited as I am unable to assist.
Even when the government provides assistance, the people in charge refuse to let it reach us widows. My four children and I are living hand to mouth as I write this. 2014 saw the death of my husband, and I have received no assistance since. I barely made it by working as a labourer on farms. Before one of my five children was killed by Boko Haram, I had five.
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Lydia Usman, the Secretary of the Nigeria Legion in Gombe State, added, “I lost my husband in 2004. I am from Gombe State, and I am fifty-two years old. I visited Gombe once more in 2007. Our only source of nutrition has been God.
Usman claims that “no one cares about our children during recruitment.” We are suffering, and there is an issue with feeding.
She commented, “I’m usually excited but it makes me think a lot,” about her feelings on January 15. They make promises after every launch, but we never see the money, and it hurts that our kids are going through this. We want the government to assist our kids in finding employment, particularly when they are starting businesses.
According to Mrs. Grace Udo of Delta, the process of revalidating her husband’s pension led to his death.
Udo stated, “My spouse was a CPL.” After 35 years of service, Christopher Udo retired in 1991 as a 63 NA. He was enlightened in 1962.
“After ten years of receiving his pension, it was stopped, and he was asked to travel to Calabar for verification.
When he arrived in Calabar, he was asked to go to his retirement home in Jos because his name was not on the list.
He was also instructed to go to Lokoja and bring his file when he arrived in Jos. He was also asked to travel to Abuja after Lokoja.
He saw his name in Abuja, but the system had him listed as deceased. The commanding officer requested that he leave since it would be fixed once it was established that he was still alive at the time.
“In the end, my spouse never received the pension and instead waited interminably until his death.
“My spouse stated the money was N42 million as of the most recent verification before he passed away.
