FALLEN HEROES

Do you know anyone who wears this brooch on their clothes?

You’ll find it on the president,

Senators,

Ministers and their aides,

Security personnel,

Suya men,

Cobblers,

Traders,

Secretaries,

Hawkers, and road sellers.

They all have this particular tag pinned to their shirts. Some wear it because they’ve seen some calibre of people wear it, But you know what? Most unfortunately many are oblivious of what it truly represents.

This tag is symbolic in reminding us of the fallen heroes. The 15th day of January reminds us of the soldiers who lost their lives in wars, the ones who have died and have been forgotten.

Even though January 15 commemorates the dead soldiers generally referred to as the FALLEN HEROES; I’m sure it’ll shock you to know that there are ‘fallen heroes’ who are still alive.

Yes! Although they’re alive, forgive me when I say they’re as good as DEAD!

You know why? Because they have already been forgotten even before they’re dead and buried.

By the ‘living-fallen-heroes’ I’m referring to these poor soldiers who survived wars, soldiers whose arms and/or legs were amputated as a result of the wars, these soldiers who have retired but are deprived of their pensions. Our very own OLD SOLDIERS.

Many of them are displaced; They have no families, they can’t even trace them; the only family they have now is the government, but even the government have ostracized and neglected them. You’ll find many of them at the Green Heroes Foundation.

They live in the slums, begging to survive. They’re struggling to be alive. But here is Nigeria and her leaders paying artists and musicians, to come and perform to commemorate the dead soldiers whom they refer to as the ‘FALLEN HEROES’; they’re pinning emblems on their shirts and ‘agbadas’ when they know not what it truly represents.

This is Nigeria, she prefers to parade green and white caskets, and throw beautiful flowers celebrating the dead while neglecting the living,…. oh no, the LIVING DEAD!

It is a beautiful thing to remember the dead, but help me tell them that there are many who are in between the living and the dead.

Help me tell them that there are soldiers who have no roof over their heads, they sleep under the bridge, some beg to have a square meal, some have become frustrated drunks, some are still living with the post-war-trauma, with terrible psychological disorders, while some are amputees who lost a tangible part of their body during the wars.

How sad, Nigeria celebrates!

What happens to the families and dependents of these disabled and abandoned soldiers? Have you forgotten you took them away from their families to go and fight wars?

What provision do you have for them on their return? Nothing! Not even their rightful pensions!

Help me tell Nigerian leaders to convert the flowers into reasonable compensations and pensions for these Heroes, these surviving veterans so that they can find living interesting again.

Wake up Nigeria, Wake up!

Some of your FALLEN HEROES are still alive!!!

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