Mrs Amodu during the wreath laying ceremony yesterday.
It was a pathetic sight as widows of fallen military heroes lamented neglect and abandonment by the authorities amid economic hardship and the rising cost of living.
They spoke yesterday with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during the Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day held at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Victoria Island, Lagos State.
The Armed Forces Remembrance Day is marked annually on January 15 to honour and remember the sacrifices of past and serving military personnel.
The Coordinator of the Military Widows Association, Navy Town, Mrs Helen Amodu, lamented that her late husband’s insurance scheme had not been paid to her more than a decade after his death.
Amodu, the wife of late Capt. F.E. Amodu, said that being a widow with children to cater for in the current economic climate was financially draining and challenging.
“Being the widow of a military personnel is not easy. After your husband dies and the severance package is paid, you have to leave the barracks and return to civilian life.
“Facing civilian life outside the barracks is not easy; that is why we decided to come together to form an association in order to help ourselves.
“The little palliative that comes from the government does not come when due, and sometimes we have to beg and cry out before they respond,” she said.
Amodu, who has been a widow for a decade, said she would be grateful if her late husband’s group life insurance was paid to her.
“At the very least, his insurance is an entitlement and should be paid to his family. This would go a long way in alleviating the suffering and pain we feel after losing our provider.
“I have written letters to the appropriate authorities and even sent letters to the Chief of Naval Staff, but up till now, there has been no response regarding my plea.
“Therefore, I join my fellow widows who are facing this problem of non-payment of our late husbands’ insurance policies to plead with the appropriate authorities to resolve this matter,” she said.
Similarly, Mrs Yemi Enoch, who has been a widow for seven years, said she was pleased that the celebration was held in remembrance of fallen heroes.
Enoch, however, said more needed to be done to cater for the families left behind by officers and soldiers who died in the line of duty.
“Some of us have children who are still in school or who have just left school, and mouths to feed; so whatever help we can get will be appreciated,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Lagos State chapter, Mr Akeem Wolimoh, said the legion had been distributing palliatives every year to military veterans and widows of deceased personnel.
Wolimoh said the Lagos State Government had donated 500 bags of 25kg rice and other food items, which would be shared in February among widows and other beneficiaries.
He said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had consistently supported the legion during the annual celebrations by providing funds and palliatives for distribution to members.
“Since I came into office four years ago, I have distributed rice, live chickens and other food items every year to widows and veterans in need.
“We currently have 387 widows registered with us, and this year, another set of palliatives will be distributed in February in honour of our fallen heroes,” Wolimoh said.
He added that there were ongoing plans to empower the children of widows and support them through educational trust funds.
