Armed Forces Day: Jonathan, Others Honour Fallen Heroes … As Obasanjo Cautions War Mongers

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in Abuja led leaders of the legislative and Judiciary arms of government, the military and para-military to perform the 2013 Armed Forces Remembrance Day wreath laying ceremony.

Our correspondent reports that the ceremony started at about 10 a.m. with the arrival of the President, who is the Grand Patron of the Nigerian Legion, at the National Arcade, Three Arms Zone.

Jonathan took the salute shortly on arrival, after which he inspected a parade in four colours – the National and the three regimental colours of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.

Prayers were offered for the repose of the souls of the fallen heroes and for peace, security and unity of the nation in both the Christians and Islamic way.

Shortly after the prayers, Jonathan laid a wreath at the Cenotaph; he was followed by Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal.

Others who also laid wreaths were, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar; Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, and the FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim; the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh also took their turns in laying the wreath.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar; the Acting Dean of the Diplomatic Corp and Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mrs Olumba Kombe as well as the Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Col. Micah Gayya (rtd) also laid wreaths.

Our correspondent reports that after the wreaths laying ceremony and 21 gun salute, the President released some pigeons to signify “unfettered freedom, unity, peace and harmony for the country”.

In attendance at the ceremony were the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Ministers, Presidential aides and members of the Diplomatic Corps.

Also in attendance were some members of the armed forces, and their wives, members of the Nigerian Legion and some of the widows of the departed heroes.

It would be recalled that in Nigeria, the Armed Forces Day, also known as Remembrance Day, is celebrated on January 15.

It was formally marked on November 11 of every year to coincide with the Remembrance Day (Poppy Day) for the World War II veterans in the British Commonwealth of Nations.

But it was changed to January 15 of every year in Nigeria in commemoration of the surrender of Biafran troops to the Federal troops on January 15, 1970 thus signalling the end of the Nigerian Civil War.

Meanwhile, former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday urged Nigerians to shun acts capable of dragging the nation into war.

Obasanjo gave the advice in Abeokuta at this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day ceremony. He lamented that Nigerians had lost many of its brave soldiers to wars within and outside the country.

“For us in Nigeria, even when we were fighting along with the colonial powers, we lost Nigerians in Burma and in East Africa,” he said.

He also noted with regret that the nation’s security forces had been losing members either in support of civil authority or in fighting local wars.