By Ogenyi Ogenyi,Uyo
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom have donated N100m to widows of deceased members of the Armed Forces in the state.
He has also gifted additional N25million to the state branch of the Nigerian Legion in celebration of the Armed Forces Remembarence Day celebration in Uyo yesterday.
While laying tribute to the sacrifices of the fallen heroes, Eno spoke of the moment he lost his father, an Officer of the Nigerian Police in the line of duty to the nation and how his mother was saddled with the challenging task of raising five boys and a girl, and saluted the sacrifices made by the fallen heroes and heroines of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“As we honour these brave men and women, let us collectively shun tendencies that inflame passions in our polity.
“Let us celebrate our diversity and see the differences as reflected in our rainbow of our colors as sources for strength rather than weakness to be exploited for narrow individual or group’s political, social or economic advantage.
”Let us lower the temperature of incendiary and divisive rhetoric, let us address the root causes of social tensions in our polity, which today, have given rise to separatist agitations all over the nation.
“Today, as we gather all over the nation, let us not forget the families of those who paid the ultimate price, let us give them a reason to be feel proud that their husbands, sons and daughters truly died for causes greater than their individual desires.” The Governor said.
Highlight of the event was the laying of wreaths on the tomb of the unknown soldier, the ceremonial release of pigeons and symbolic 21 gunshots in memory of the fallen heroes.
