The Defence and Police Officers Wives Association (DEPOWA), has distributed food items and cash to widows of fallen personnel of the armed forces ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebration.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the items were distributed to 50 beneficiaries on Tuesday, at the DEPOWA Secretariat in Abuja.
NAN reports that the items include bags of rice, tubbers of yam, cartons of indomie, vegetable oil, maggi and spaghetti.
Similar exercise took place at Mogadishu Barracks in Asokoro, where a total of 400 barrack women benefited from Christmas package from DEPOWA.
Presenting the items, the President of DEPOWA and Wife of the Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs Vickie Irabor, said the gesture was in line with the association’s objective.
She said reaching out to the less privileged in the society in times like this was part of the association’s mandate.
Irabor said the gesture was also a demonstration of the will of the association to always stand by the widows and their children by putting smile on their faces.
She added that the widows deserved all the support from the military community and the nation at large owing to the huge sacrifices their late husbands made for the country.
“We thought it wise to reach out to you at this time because we know that you hold a very special place in our hearts.
“What we have for you is not much but it is just our own little way of telling you that we appreciate you and we always remember you,” she said.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Deborah Jaba, thanked the DEPOWA president and the armed forces for not forgetting them at the point of needs.
She appreciated the association for deeming it fit to wipe their tears in this season by providing them food and cash to be able to fend for their children.
“We lack words to express how we feel today but it is only God that can reward you,” she said.
A beneficiary, Mrs Maria Oloye, said she could not express her joy, adding that the yuletide always reminded her that she was without her husband because of the demand of the season.
Oloye said she was grateful and excited that Irabor could take the pain of thinking of what the widows would cook for their children and money to buy chicken or clothes for the celebration.
She said that the military wives had been losing their husbands every day fighting insurgency and other violent activities in the country.
She, however, called on other organisations and the society in general to come to the aid of the military widows.
Oloye said that the military or the government should not be left to take care of their needs alone.
“The society should not just look away because our husband served the nation and died for the sake of everyone in this country, so that we can go to bed sleeping well.
“While celebrating this season, the nation and citizens should think of the families of these ones that are left behind by their husbands,” she said.
-NAN
