Nigeria Marks Armed Forces Remembrance Day; Jan.15 2014

Armed Forces Remembrance Day is a day set aside to remember and honour Nigerians who lost their lives in the course of their service to the country and peace keeping operations across the globe.
It is also a time to appreciate those discharged and retired.Indeed, remembering the fallen heroes is the least the nation and Nigerians can do in respect of the supreme sacrifice they make, not only for national unity, but also for the promotion of global peace and territorial protection.
As Nigeria marks this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day, it has become imperative for governments to re-appraise the gains of the yearly ritual. This has become necessary as the lot of the dependants of the fallen heroes and Legionaries (retired military personnel from Army, Navy and Airforce) appear to fall short, inspite of the yearly ritual.
The yearly event is organised to commemorate the end of the Nigerian civil war on January 15, 1970 and honour military personnel that lost their lives in the line of duty.
In Kwara State, retired soldiers called on the Nigerian government to effect the increment of 35 per cent in their monthly pension due to them since three years ago.
The event took place at the Metro Park Ilorin and was attended by the state governor, Abdulfattah Ahmed.
Governor Ahmed inspected the guard of honour and laid a wreath in memory of the fallen heroes.
The Remembrance Day was therefore moved from November to January because the Federal Government thought it wise that the Armed Forces Remembrance Day would be more meaningfully if it is celebrated in honour of the men and women who gave their lives fighting for the unity of the country rather than honouring soldiers who fought for the British Empire.
Nevertheless, Nigerians who were enlisted in the British constabulary and were drafted to Europe to partake in World Wars I and II are not left out of the Remembrance Day celebrations which is also used in remembering all the other officers, men and women of the Nigerian armed forces who have paid the ultimate sacrifice maintaining peace at home and in other parts of the globe where they had been deployed on peace keeping missions.
In keeping with these constitutional responsibilities, Nigerians from all parts of the country have in the discharge of their duties as officers and men and women of the Nigerian armed forces, stood side by side as comrades in arms in the defence of the country. It is noteworthy that the Nigerian armed forces have since its establishment, fought in a civil war to keep the territorial integrity of the country intact as well as participated in several peacekeeping operations around the world.