Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has praised the selfless sacrifices made by officers and men of the Armed Forces to keep Nigeria united, declaring that the country will not be divided.
Obaseki made the remarks on Thursday in Benin, during the unveiling of the 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem.
Most Nigerians, he claims, have benefited from the selfless sacrifices of members of the armed forces “from the First World War through our civil war to the present day, where we are still losing patriots.”
He stated that it was critical to remember and honor the fallen heroes, as well as the enormous bravery of serving gallant soldiers.
“As a state and a country, we remain very optimistic that despite the threats of insecurity and banditry which we face as a country and a state, that we will overcome.
“We are optimistic that we will continue to secure our state and country because we have brave people like you who are willing to serve and sacrifice for the country.”
“That is why we take events like this very seriously, to show the younger generation what it means to make sacrifices for the country, and to show those of you who are in service that your efforts will not be in vain.”
“This occasion also reminds us of the need to jealously guard our country’s unity.”
“We should not encourage the kind of rhetoric about our great country’s unity that we have been hearing in this country today.” Nigeria has arrived, and it cannot and will not be divided.
“It has to be so because people have made supreme sacrifices to keep this country together, and it would not be right or fair to do anything that would give the impression that those who fought for this country didn’t know what they were doing.”
The governor funded the Emblem with N10 million and promised to replace the legion’s Hilux van as part of the state’s security architecture.
“We need your services, we need people like you to help us improve the work that our local vigilantes are doing across the various wards and local governments,” Obaseki said.
In his remarks, Mr Marcus Onobun, Speaker of the Edo House of Assembly, pledged 50% of his salary to the legion, while Mr Tony Aziegbemi, State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, donated N1 million.
Mr Ignatius Enabulele, the state Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, pledged his support for combating insecurity in the state during his remarks.