The Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, on Monday urged Nigerians to support the armed forces to boost their morale in keeping the nation safe.
Obanikoro said this in Abuja at the launch of the Support Our Troops Foundation, an initiative designed to give support to all servicemen and women and their families.
According to him, no measure of honour and support can be enough to show appreciation to them considering how hard they labour to keep others safe.
He also said that though the citizens’ support for them might not restore whatever they had lost, it would go a long way to brighten their spirits.
He said: “Our words of appreciation may not restore broken limbs, rekindle shattered dreams or bring back the lives that we have lost to the service of our country.
“But we will not waste the opportunity and responsibility of saying a kind word.
“And making a noble gesture and an expression of faith and hope in the great service that these men and women have rendered.”
Obanikoro said that the war against terrorism or the support for the armed forces couldn’t be shouldered by the government alone.
He said: “You can say a word of prayer for them, help with information.
“Your expression of faith in their ability to defeat our common enemy is a morale booster that only you can provide.”
He also urged those active in the social media to desist from talking them down or ridiculing them as this could demoralise them.
The foundation, a brain child of the minister, hopes to stimulate support through cash donations, volunteer services, scholarships and media partnerships.
Founder and Executive Director of the initiative, Funmi Ogbue, said the servicemen and women were not just soldiers but husbands, wives, sons, daughters, fathers and mothers and should be seen as such.
Ogbue urged all Nigerians not to let their service go to waste but to rather help save their legacies.
The vision, she said, is to “create a national culture of pride, patriotism and belief in the brave people who make our armed forces.
“We stand to add value, lend a hand of support, a shoulder to cry on and to say thank you when it matters most”.
Designed to complement the activities of the government, the foundation’s activities are focused in five areas.
They are: boosting morale for deployed troops, supporting wounded troops to recovery, provision for loved ones of fallen troops.
The others were to provide resources for transition from service for retired troops and benefit all servicemen and women in various capacities.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the foundation, Olatunde Ayeni, said the only way to say thank you to them was to provide the confidence they needed to serve better.
Ayeni said: “It is our responsibility to ensure that we give confidence to the young ones who want to enlist that if the unfortunate happens they will be catered for.
“We know the hardship they are going through, we know what terrorism has done to this country and we cannot allow the situation of Nigeria to deteriorate.
“We must support them and let them know we are with them, even though, we are not in the line of battle.”
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