Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Ondo State Governor, has officially launched the N5million Emblem Appeal Fund to mark the commencement of activities for the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in the state.
Aiyedatiwa, during the launch on Monday at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Akure, also donated his one-month salary to inaugurate the 2026 emblem.
BusinessDay reports that the event honoured the courage, sacrifice and enduring legacies of men and women who laid down their lives defending Nigeria during wars, insurgencies, terrorism and peacekeeping missions worldwide.
The Governor, who commended security agencies for their professionalism and steadfast commitment to protecting lives and property, also congratulated the newly elected State and Area Council Executives of the Nigerian Legion on their successful election, describing their leadership as timely and critical.
He emphasised that Armed Forces Remembrance Day is more than ceremonial, serving as a moral reminder of society’s responsibility to the families, widows, children and dependents of those who paid the supreme price for freedom.
He reaffirmed his gratitude to gallant officers, serving and retired, including those engaged in ongoing counter-insurgency efforts, assuring that the labour of heroes, dead or alive, would never be in vain.
Acknowledging the hardships faced by widows, children and dependents, he revealed that the state government has increased financial support to the Legion in addition to other intervention programmes.
The Governor called on corporate organisations, NGOs and public-spirited individuals to join the government in rehabilitating and empowering veterans and their families, stressing that this responsibility should not rest on the state alone.
Seun Osamaye, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, in her welcome address, urged stakeholders to support families of fallen heroes and incapacitated soldiers.
She described the occasion as profoundly significant, honouring those who have served the nation and safeguarded its freedoms and stressed the importance of recognising active-duty officers representing Nigeria domestically and internationally.
Osamaye explained that the Emblem Appeal Fund would raise resources to support families and dependents of fallen heroes, as well as surviving soldiers and incapacitated officers.
She added that the initiative would fund commemorative activities, educational programmes and support services for veterans and their families, insisting it was a collective responsibility to preserve their legacies.
Folorunso Akingboju, Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Ondo State Command, commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for his unwavering support for veterans, widows, orphans and dependents.
He reaffirmed that the welfare of veterans and families of fallen heroes remains a priority, with ongoing support in health, education and financial empowerment programmes.
