Aisha Buhari pays tribute to Military for securing the country
Wife of the President, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday paid glowing tributes to officers and men of Nigerian military for securing the country, saying the country could not pay them enough for the survival of the country.
According to her; “We owe you from the depth of our hearts.”
The president’s wife, who spoke at a two-day national conference, organised by the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association, DEPOWA, at the National Defence College, Abuja, described, personnel of the military as “great men” who signed up to die for the country.
She lauded the wives of both the military and police personnel for the roles being played in supporting their spouses by maintaining the home front, saying their roles were boosters to the successes their husbands were recording.
“It is a great man that that can sign up for a job that can take his life. We owe such depth of gratitude which can never be repaid,” Mrs Buhari, who was represented at the occasion by wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo said.
She challenged women to join in the efforts to find lasting solution to the security challenges confronting the country.
The president’s wife, who was a special guest of honour at the opening of the two-day conference, with a theme: “The role of Defence and Police Officers’ Wives in National Defence, Peace and Way Forward”, said her advice to women was because “women are known as the ones that are able to encourage and gently assist. I like us as women to encourage the men in unity and love.
“Speak to them the way our mothers speak to us, let’s dialogue, let’s talk about it, let’s find a middle ground, let’s agree so that we won’t have war”, she noted.
Describing wives of military personnel, especially members of the DEPOWA as great women, Aisha Buhari said: ”Women that are wives of officers are great women. They are great women, only a great man can sign up for a job that may take his life. A man that faces life and death everyday; faces with sorrow, faces with solitary life, sees the worst of human beings, only a great woman can be married to such a man.
“I know that the women of DEPOWA are great. They are the ones that handle the nightmare that the men have, they are the ones that handle the anger of the men. Their frustrations, fears, their pains of separation from colleagues. I want to encourage that those that help those who helps us also need help. The better and quality of help that officers and men of the armed forces and police have, the better they can defend the nation.”
Speaking at the occasion, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin said one of the issues that affected the performances of the military and other security agencies globally was the welfare of their families.
Olonisakin, who was equally represented by Air Vice Marshal Emmanuel Anebi, Chief of Defence Policy and Plans, said due to the nature of military profession, they spent many years in deployment away from their families.
He said: “The assurance that the establishment is concerned about their socio-economic and educational empowerment of their spouses and children, respectively enhances the morale of our officers and men. It is gratifying that the DEPOWA has risen up and taken up the challenge of giving a helping hand to military and police families in our barracks.”
On her part, President of DEPOWA and wife of Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs Omobolanle Olanisakin, requested the military authorities to grant the association to use August 16, every year to celebrate what she referred to as “DEPOWA Day.”
Hear her: “Permit me to say that an important step in understanding the huge and important contribution of military and police spouses and families make to Nigeria’s national security is to understand their experiences and perspective as spouses and families.”
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