Obaseki hails military, launches 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day emblem

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has commended the remarkable and patriotic sacrifices made by members of the Nigerian Armed Forces in ensuring the security and unity of the country.

Obaseki gave the commendation during the launch of the 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day emblem, at the Government House, Benin City.

The governor said, “Today, we are here with those of you who have made sacrifices for us. We are all beneficiaries of the selfless sacrifices made by many of you here and our fallen heroes, both from the First World War through our Civil War, to this day. We are still losing patriots.

“You continue to sacrifice your lives for us. Therefore, it will be unfair for the country not to remember or forget the sacrifices you have paid. That is why every year, it is now a ritual for us to launch an appeal for these fallen heroes and those that are still alive.”

He continued: “As a state and country, we remain very optimistic that despite the threats of insecurity and banditry, which we face, we will overcome. We are hopeful that we will continue to secure our state and country.

“We have courageous people like you who are ready to serve and sacrifice for the country, which is why we take an event like this very seriously and to encourage the younger ones on what sacrifices to the country means and also to encourage those of you who are in service that your efforts will not be in vain.”

Expressing optimism in the country’s unity, Obaseki noted, “This occasion also reminds us of the need to jealousy guard the unity of our country. We should not encourage the kind of rhetoric that we hear is being paraded in this country today about the unity of our great country. Nigeria has come to stay; Nigeria cannot and will not be divided.”

“It has to be so because people have paid a supreme sacrifice to keep this country together and it will not be right or fair to do anything to make it look as if those people who fought for this country did not know what they were doing,” he added.

Reassuring the government’s commitment to improving security in the state, the governor further stated, “We will now actively include the Legion as a part of our security architecture in the state. We need your services; we need people like you to help us improve the work being done by our local vigilantes across the various wards and local governments.”

In his remarks, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Legion, Mr. Ignatius Enabulele, thanked the governor, reassuring the legion’s commitment to partner with the state government to improve security in the state.