Armed Forces Remembrance Day: widows and families of fallen heroes decry neglect by government
January 15 is a date set aside for the armed forces remembrance in Nigeria; presently, a wreath-laying ceremony to mark the 2018 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration is ongoing at the National Arcade Abuja whilst similar ceremonies are being held in all the State capitals of the Federation.
It is a day set aside for fallen heroes who fought the war both world wars, the civil war and of recent, insurgency in the northern part of Nigeria.
In 2015, over one hundred soldiers were buried in one fell swoop after an attack from Boko Haram
It is pathetic to know that many widows and families of our fallen heroes are neglected by the government
The widows of fallen soldiers who lost their husbands in the Northeast had in an interactive session with the wives of service chiefs who comprise the Defence, Army, Air Force, Navy and Police Officers Wives Association, (DEPOWA) in November 2015, pleaded for assistance from the government.
In one voice, the women urged wives of service chiefs to save and assist them with the non-payment of allowances of their slain husbands.
Some of the widows lamented the difficulty of their lives after their husbands had been killed while defending the country. They noted that they now had difficulty feeding themselves and sending their children to school.
One widow, Mary Joshua, called upon DEPOWA for assistance.
“Ma, I beg you to intervene on behalf of us. Since 2014 when my husband died I am yet to get his benefits,” Mrs. Joshua stated.
Another widow, Aishat Abdullahi urged the wives of the service chiefs to assist the widows with accessing their husband’s accounts.
They also asked the federal government to create training programs for them and provide jobs for those that have educational qualifications such as secondary and tertiary school certificates.
While responding on behalf of the wives of service chiefs, the President of DEPOWA, Omobolanle Olonisakin, in a sober voice condoled them over the loss of their husbands who died in active service and praying for the soul of fallen heroes.
Olonisakin while presenting some relief materials to the widows promised them that all their complaints will be addressed.
The plight of the widows
After three years in which the wives of our slain soldiers got assurances of a better life, nothing seems to have changed.
Most of the widows our correspondents spoke to complained about the shoddy treatment they are receiving from authorities after the deaths of their husbands.
