PRESS BRIEFING BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF DEFENCE GEN MOHAMMED ALIYU GUSAU ON THE YEAR 2015 ARMED FORCES REMEMBRANCE DAY CELEBRATION HOLDING AT ABACHA HALL NATIONAL DEFENCE COLLEGE ON 14 OCTOBER 2014 14 OCT

1. Let me on behalf of the Ministry of Defence,
the gallant officers, men and women who
served in the Armed Forces and those still
serving, welcome you to this Press briefing.
As you are aware, the Armed Forces
Remembrance Day Celebration is an event
organized by the Ministry of Defence in
honour of our fallen heroes who laid down
their lives in service to humanity during the
First and Second World Wars, the Nigerian
Civil War, Peace Support Operations,
various Internal Security Operations and
particularly the current war against
terrorism and other security challenges in
the country.
2. In remembering these fallen heroes, we also
call to mind and appreciate their loved ones
who they left behind. The Armed Forces
Remembrance Day Celebration is one of the
ways of reassuring them that the nation is
with them by paying respect annually to
their departed relations. The celebration
also reaffirms the fact that their death was
not in vain and the nation remains grateful
for their contributions and sacrifices. The
Armed Forces Remembrance Day
Celebration also serves to encourage and
appreciate service personnel for their
invaluable sacrifice to our fatherland. The
year 2015 Armed Forces Remembrance Day
Celebration affords us a unique opportunity
to reflect on the sacrifices made in over one
hundred years by our service personnel to
achieve global peace and security.
Currently, members of the armed forces
have answered the clarion call to make the
supreme sacrifice to end the reign of terror
and other security challenges facing the
country.
3. The Armed Forces Remembrance Day
Celebration is not unique to Nigeria alone,
rather it is a very important event that is
celebrated to Nigeria alone, rather, it is a
very important event that is celebrated
worldwide. In the past, Nigeria being a
member of the Commonwealth of Nations
used to hold the celebration with other
members on the eleventh day of November
every year to honour members of the Armed
Forces who died during the First and
Second World Wars. It could be recalled
that the First World War officially ended at
the 11 hour of the 11 day of the 11
month (November) 1918. However, in order
to reflect our own peculiar historical
experience as a nation, January 15 of every
year was selected as the date to observe
the Armed forces Remembrance Day
Celebration to commemorate the end of the
Nigerian Civil War.
4. The Armed Forces Remembrance Day
Celebration 2015 with a theme
“Appreciating The Nigerian Armed Forces”
is a special one because it coincides with
Nigeria’s greatest security challenges in
recent times. It is therefore appropriate to
specially appreciate the commitment of our
personnel that are paying the supreme price
in confronting our security challenges so
that we can live in peace. The contribution
of the officers and Men of the Armed Forces
towards the return of peace to troubled
spots in our country cannot be
overemphasized. The nation remains
eternally grateful to these gallant
Nigerians. The Remembrance Day period is
therefore time to reach out to the loved
ones the fallen heroes have left behind and
those who have been incapacitated inorder
to contribute towards rehabilitating them.
The Federal Government looks forward to
all our dear citizens in both public and
private sectors to appreciate the courage
and patriotism of these service personnel
and support them generously.
5. The climax of the AFRD Celebration will be
on Thursday 15 January 2015. However,
activities marking the event have officially
commenced with this press briefing. The
emblem launch would take place on 4
November 2014 while the sales of the
emblems will continue all through to the
day of the laying of wreath at the National
Remembrance Arcade on 15 January 2015
by the President.
6. The President and Commander-in-Chief of
the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan GCFR, who is also the Grand
Patron of the Nigerian Legion, would launch
the Emblem and Appeal Fund on 4
November, 2014. This event would afford
Nigerians another opportunity to identify
with our Veterans and their families.
Nigerians and friends of Nigeria are required
to make financial and material donations
and purchase emblems to support the
families of the fallen heroes as well as the
surviving Veterans.
7. After the launch of the emblem by the
President, it is our hope that all Nigerians
and friends of Nigeria would purchase and
wear the emblem with pride. It is my appeal
that our friends, patrons and visitors would
wear the emblems proudly in any part of
our great country. It is our hope also that
this would be replicated in all government
establishments. The Veterans appreciate
this gesture and it also encourages and
reassures service personnel that their
invaluable sacrifices are noted by
Nigerians. Please donate generously to this
noble cause.
8. Other activities lined up for the 2015 Armed
Forces Remembrance Day Celebration are
as follows:
a. Nigerian Legion Humanitarian Day. As part
of activities of the 2015 AFRDC, 27 November,
2014 has been set aside as the Nigerian Legion
Humanitarian Day. This would be marked by
voluntary social services to be rendered by
Legionnaires in the FCT and all the States of
the Federation simultaneously. The Legion
would be involved in such duties as traffic
control, environmental sanitation and visit to
patients in hospitals. The widows and
dependents of fallen heroes as well as
incapacitated Veterans would also be
empowered. For year 2015 AFRDC, it is
expected that corporate organizations would
participate in the Nigerian Legion Humanitarian
Day.
b. Religious Services. There would be Juma’at
prayers for the Muslim faithful at the National
Mosque on Friday, 9 January 15. This would be
followed on Sunday 11 January 2015 by
Interdenominational Church Services. The
Interdenominational Church Service would hold
at the National Christian Centre. The religious
service would feature prayers for the departed
injured Veterans and their families.
c. Wreath-laying Ceremony. The Wreath-laying
Ceremony which is the climax of the
celebration will hold at the National Arcade/
Cenotaph on Thursday 15 January, 2015.
9. Distinguished ladies and gentleman of the
Press, I urge you to publicize the activities of
the 2015, Armed Forces Remembrance Day
Celebration. Once more, I urge each and
everyone to donate generously to this noble
cause.
10. Thank you for listening and God bless
Nigeria.