Armed forces remembrance: Group launches 5 million emblems for free distribution to students

A group, Nigeria Fallen Heroes Project, has launched the production of five million armed forces remembrance emblems and fact books to be distributed to students free, as part of the efforts to shore up support for troops engaged in fight against insurgency.
The group which plans to establish a trauma centre in the north east to cater for medical needs of wounded soldiers had flagged off an international lottery scheme approved by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) and targeted at raising funds for widows and children of the troops who died in active service.
Speaking at the event in Abuja, Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Mansur Mohammed Dan-Ali, who was represented by Jude Alozie, appealed to spirited individuals to identify with the cause and make donations towards ameliorating the sufferings of families of fallen heroes.
He observed that armed forces remembrance had been perceived as government event, but expressed satisfaction that it was made people’s affair this year.
Dan-Ali said his ministry expected improved consciousness and appreciation of the need to support the armed forces in few years to come.
Earlier, the national coordinator of the group, Kenneth Ibe-Kalu stressed the need to raise consciousness of Nigerians towards the sacrifices being made by troops from its current low ebb.
He disclosed that the organisation had made efforts in championing the cause of the fallen heroes and entered into collaboration with some organisations, which included traders union and tricycle riders association as well as Nigerian Postal Services to ensure efforts of the fallen heroes were recognised.
According to him, it would be most uncharitable to allow the sacrifices of the fallen heroes and veterans who rose up to the security challenges go unnoticed.
He said, “It may appear we are pushing a truck and we are going a long destination. It may appear that the truck is not moving, but whatever you may think, I can assure you that the truck is moving.
“This project has to be sustained. We have made a lot of efforts. We still have 38 days to make a difference.
“Troops need to know that this nation cares for them. Let us have heart for the needy in our society. We will make sure that at least four million Nigerians wear emblems this year although we have a target of five million.
“What we are doing is using every fund available to us to keep encouraging Nigerians to do the right thing of care for one another, especially the fallen heroes who died to keep us alive.
“I don’t totally blame Nigerians for their lack of support in the previous years because awareness of this nature was not mounted. NFHP will continue to propagate this. It is not a journey that can be achieved in one swoop; it will take time.
“We are targeting students with the emblem because we found out that people are not aware, we are fast losing our history.
“I want to call on leadership of this country, NASS and corporate organisations to make it a duty to support noble initiatives because nobody supported initiatives, they waned and I believe there is no better organisation to support than the armed forces. We owe it a duty to support them and make a show of it,” he said.
In his contribution, the president of National Association of Nigerian students (NAN), Haruna Kadir, observed that freedom was presently on trial in Sambisa forest where he said the armed forces had left no stone unturned in defending the oneness of the country.
He said that NANS viewed the usual moment of silence or laying of wreath for fallen heroes as acts that were not enough.
Arguing that the wreath cannot stand the scorching sun, he said that such symbolic expression of emotions was ephemeral.
He said, “Let us call to mind that Nigeria’s fallen heroes, from the fields where our freedom was on trial, left behind responsibilities.
“Whereas we cannot pay for the life of our fallen heroes that was lost, we can contribute to sustaining the life of the responsibilities they left behind.
“We call on the masses and well-to-do Nigerians to support the emblem launch for it is a vehicle of assembling and conveying collective token to a sizeable support to take care of the responsibilities our fallen heroes left behind.”