The Wife of Nigeria’s President, Mrs Aisha Buhari has commended the Military Wives for supporting their spouses carry out their constitutional roles for National Development.
Mrs Buhari described them as agents of stability and development.
She stated this during the public presentation and formal launching of the book, The Journey of a Military Wife, written by the President, Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association, DEPOWA Barr. Victoria Irabor in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
According to her, despite that the military wives faced many challenges in their homes and such challenges are traumatic, they are still hardworking.
Mrs Buhari said that “the experiences gathered will serve as guidelines and provide the necessary information hence significance or relevance of women in the society.”
She said; “the need to grow stronger families in the community considering the extraordinary challenges being faced by officers, and soldiers on the frontlines of security in the nation.”
The First Lady said that “she believed that this book has got justice to several issues facing wives of military officers.”
She, therefore, recommended the book as a reference guide for military families for all Nigerians seeking information on the role and impact of military wives in the safety and security of the military.
She urged the Nigerian Government to consider addressing some of the issues in the book as the support system for officers and their families such as the Centre for Officers and Soldiers, particularly those on the front line.
According to her, there is a need for Economic Empowerment opportunities for military spouses in public and private sectors within Nigeria.
The wife of the President acknowledged and appreciated the tragic sacrifice of the members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor said the reflections that he got from the book even though the experiences as they have lived together, hope is brought to consciousness of what the house can do.
The Defence Chief used the opportunity to thank his wife for putting her forms together and putting all the decorations together.
The Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya said the book would undoubtedly enrich already existing literature families on how to surmount riddles or challenges associated with career and family.
General Yahaya emphasised the carrier of military personnel, and the great experience bringing inherent to the military community that was never publicly which includes the Special Guest of Honour.
According to him, the unsung heroes who have supported the Armed Forces are brought in sometimes to disarm.
“This is the right time for us to succeed in life in all facets of the military, men and women alike. This will go a long way in appreciating those who have remained the backbone of the families not given the desired recognition,” he said.
He was represented by Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo on behalf of the Service Chiefs.
In a goodwill Message by the former President of DEPOWA, Mariam Abacha narrated her own experiences saying “they were together when the war started and what they went through during the Civil War.”
The Chairperson of the Occasion, Senator Mrs Dqisy Danjuma said she has known Mrs. Abacha for over 50 years and most of her friends were late, so she narrated her own experiences as a wife of a retired officer.
According to her, some experiences were happy moments and some very traumatic moments.
She said, “happy moments when their husbands are promoted, they all celebrate and traumatic when one dies.”
The occasion had many dignitaries in attendance including officers and wives of different associations.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
