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By Lukman Olabiyi
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, yesterday, donated N50 million to ex-servicemen, in preparation for the commemoration of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
Governor Sanwo-Olu announced the donation on the occasion of the unveiling of the 2023/2024 Armed Forces Remembrance emblem in Ikeja, yesterday.
The governor said the ex-servicemen needed to be supported, as they fought to ensure the peace and unity of the country.
‘’We usually give a monthly support, but this one (N50 million) will be a support that will not stop all the other support that we are giving. We have just been decorated, and while we are doing that with all the service chiefs, with all sense of responsibility, we all feel a sense of purpose, a sense of commitment.
‘’We all feel the sense of patriotism, to be able to, on a yearly basis, remember all of the great men, our fallen heroes who, at one time or the other, served our country meritoriously. Some had to pay the supreme prize, while some, having also served and left service, but, in one form or the other, still continue to contribute in no little way to the success of our country,’’ he said.
The governor said the state government would not relent in supporting the wives of the fallen heroes.
‘’To our widows who are here, we want to continue to encourage you; we want to continue to ensure and assure you of the government’s support. I remember that, last year, we made commitments that our women affairs and poverty alleviation ministry must reach out to you from time to time. I want to imagine that they do that,’’ he said.
Sanwo-Olu charged the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to ensure that the ministry engaged the widow’s in the skills acquisition programmes of the government. He assured that his administration will ensure that the social intervention agencies carry the Nigerian Legion along in the different interventions of the government.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner of Home Affairs, Mr Olanrewaju Kayode, said the unveiling of the emblem by the Nigeria Legion marked the commencement to commemorate the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
Kayode said the commencement of the activities would be climaxed on January 15, 2024, which would be the Armed Forces Remembrance Day, with the Wreath laying ceremony at the Remembrance Arcade, Tafawa Balewa, Lagos.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Nigerian Legion, Lagos State Council, DCG Akeem Wolimoh, said that the generosity the legion experienced in the state was rarely enjoyed by any other state council across the country. Wolimoh thanked Governor Sanwo-Olu, while imploring that he continue to support the Legion.
‘’I was here last year, 2022. It is pertinent to reiterate here that our aspirations, pleas and submissions to our amiable Governor and Enacted Forefront Patron have not varied. I want us to use this moment of appreciation of the sacrifices of the fallen heroes and military veterans as a point of contact and plea to Mr Governor, to continue in your usual manner of supporting the Nigerian Legion in Lagos State.
‘’No doubt, we need funds to enable us to continue to attend to our enacted obligations by functioning effectively in fostering comradeship among ex-servicemen. We need funds for the provisions of medical support, housing and other daily provisional needs of the aged, weak and needy military veterans, including those of the dependents (widows and orphans) of fallen heroes.
‘’Also, importantly, at improving the quality of lives of non ex-servicemen, that is the volunteers engaged in the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires and all other Auxiliary Arms of the Nigerian Legion. These auxiliaries sacrifice their time and energy in improving the quality of life of the military veterans and dependents of the fallen heroes.
‘’Our plea, therefore, is now not only to the governor and government agencies in Lagos State alone, rather to private corporate bodies, the elites and general public,’’ he said.
