By Musa Umar Bologi
Abuja
It is said that a country’s military is its pride. This is majorly due to the tremendous duties the military shoulders as the defender of the territorial integrity of a nation by preventing external aggressions and threats.
It is based on this that high respect is accorded military personnel all over the world. Apart from showing respect to troops returning on peace missions through standing ovation at airports, citizens of some countries give chance to a soldier to do transaction in a bank, where ever there is a long queue.
And in some other countries, military personnel enjoy special discounts in supermarkets and retail shops, as well as airlines and other transport systems.
These are ways these countries say thank you to their soldiers.
In Nigeria, our military has done us very proud. It has done a tremendous job in keeping the country one and united, in peace keeping operations abroad, as well as in internal security.
It’s present operations against Boko Haram terrorists in the North east and insurgency in the Southern part of the country has received accolades from leaders across the globe as well as from the United Nations and other global and regional bodies.
Our military has made it possible for the people in the North east and the entire nation to once again sleep with their two eyes closed. Boko Haram terrorists which were at our door steps in Abuja, Kano, Adamawa, Yobe have been drastically degraded by our military. So, why cant we appreciate our troops that have made this possible. Many of them have paid the supreme price so that we and our love ones can live and enjoy the good things of life.
It is in realisation of the significance to further appreciate our troops that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai conceived the “ Thank you for your service” initiative.
The COAS said during the launching of the campaign in Abuja that the objective of the initiative is “to show the soldiers of the Nigerian Army that the Nigerian people are standing by them, and they support and appreciate their efforts and sacrifice for the Nation.”
The first scheme under the initiative is the water project. The aim is to produce bottle water with a message reading “ Thank you for your Service.”
The water is not meant to be sold to the general public, but meant for every Nigerian soldier, especially those at the Frontline.
“While the initiative is conceived by the Nigerian Army, I will be 100 percent private driven initiative, championed by the Nigerian People as it is in other parts of the world,” said the Chief of Civil Military Affair, Army Headquarters, Maj. Gen. Peter Bojie, during a press conference at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja.
“While the private sector has shown strength in supporting the efforts of the Federal Government to rebuild and internally displaced persons of the North east, it must also be recognised that without the effort of the Nigerian Army the rebuilding and rehabilitation may not take place. So there is a need to say thank you to the offices and me of the Nigerian Army for their selfless service.”
Mr. Daniel Kure, Managing Director, Black and Harper, one of the partners of the initiative, said during an interview that the campaign is not purely military driven, but one that would is opened to all stakeholders.
“We need a buy in from every stakeholder in the civil society, media, academics,” he said. “Nigerians are givers and very generous. When we seat back and recount on what the soldiers are doing to keep us together as one nation; to make us go to sleep. We will understand very well that we need to appreciate them.
“Nigerians need to be told. If they are sensitise, I know they will do something that will show that they really appreciate a soldiers.
“In America soldiers get discounts on mobile calls; they get discounts on airline ticket purchases, and many other things. We just started this campaign, and I am sure we will get there where we will do same for our soldiers as way of appreciating them.”
He said while the first tranche of the activity start from the private sector would be campaign souvenirs carrying the inscription “thank a soldier today” as a way of sensitizing the populace on the need to appreciate the work of the military, as the initiative develops further there. He added that the campaign would also get down to the rural areas and schools.
“We will also produce mass mobilisation radio and television commercials, road shows and outreaches to tell people that it is time for us to thank the military that has made it possible to have peace in the country; that has made it possible for our children to go to school; that has made us sleep with our two eyes closed,” Kure said.
He said though the campaign should have come earlier than now, but “as late as it may seems, it is better late than never.”
“What we have to look out now is to look at how much support we will get to get the initiative started and sustainable,” he said.
He described the military as humane and compassionate force that care for the peace and development of the country. “So say thank you to a soldier today.”
Our military has made it possible for the people in the North east and the entire nation to once again sleep with their two eyes closed. Boko Haram terrorists which were at our door steps in Abuja, Kano, Adamawa, Yobe have been drastically degraded by our military.
