Remembering Our Fallen Heroes

Notwithstanding the prevailing economic recession that has menacingly
and relentlessly continued to take its toll on hopeless and beleaguered Nigerians, the Nigerian nation paused last week to mark this year’s edition of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day and Emblem Appeal Week which climaxed yesterday, January 15.
It is a day set aside by an appreciative nation to remember, appreciate, and ensure that the labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain or consigned to the dustbin of history. It is a day earmarked to honour those Nigerians, especially officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces who payed the supreme sacrifice in the course of their services to the Nigerian State and in peace keeping operations across the globe.
Heroes are a necessary beacon for all societies. They are the stuff from which history is written, folk-lores woven, and nations created. Ours have not been different. We had, and still have, quite a surfeit of them: men of valour, men of integrity, men of incredible courage, men of patriotism, and men with unflinching dedication to Nigeria.
Thus, those heroes who displayed an exemplary courage and bravery to keep Nigeria one and promoted peaceful co-existence in the society, will stand forever as a monument to heroism. This is moreso as they are heroes, objects of veneration and in themselves illustrious precedence for other mortals to emulate.
Indeed, the story of our heroes reminds us why the strength and spirit of the Nigerian nation will always stand tall against the thin evil of disunity and retrogression. Yes, because, though we are a contraption of some 450 unequal legs, we have always paradoxically, drawn our strength from our weakness, and our unity from our diversity, especially in the pursuit of common goals.
It is against this backdrop that The Tide insists that the government and people of Nigeria must go beyond the usual rhethorics of remembering our heroes and execute programmes that would impact positively on them and their dependants.
Definitely, our heroes deserve far more than the grudging piecemeal recognition that has so far been accorded them. What this means is that government must reappraise the gains of the yearly ritual by ensuring their dependants, welfare is given utmost priority.
The poor state of affairs as it affects the lives of dependants of dead soldiers is lamentable, hence, the urgent need to do more to ameliorate their anguish and improve the lot of legionaires. Infact, regular reports of delays in documentation and non-payment of retirement benefits and gratuities and lack of care for these dependants, The Tide insists, must stop forthwith.
While a clearly spelt out policy on legionaires has become necessary more than ever before, the Federal and state governments should in the main, key into Rivers State Government’s example in legionaires welfare. This has become imperative, given the level of insecurity in the country.
Again, government departments saddled with the responsibility of legionaires’ welfare should be strengthened to avoid some of the hiccups associated with the welfare of our fallen heroes and retirees.
While The Tide solicits for employment and skills acquisition opportunities for retirees, especially for those that are still productive, government and the larger society owe these senior citizens an obligation to provide a new lease of life in the interest and sustenance of the Nigerian project.
In this way, we would have rewarded the exemplary patriotism of our heroes as well as provided a good nest egg for our senior citizens in their old age. For, patriotism can only be enhanced if society cares for those who lay down their lives for their fatherland, as nobody would want to die for a country that is not worth dying for.