Lagos, Nigeria – Na so e be say 542 senior Non-Commissioned Officers don retire from Nigerian Armed Forces on Thursday after 35 years wey dem don serve. Dem ceremony wey hold for Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre for Oshodi, Lagos, na big one o. E include 362 soldiers from Army, 134 from Navy, and 46 from Air Force. Na correct gathering it be!
For di event, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede wey be Chief of Army Staff, get Major General Aligbe Obhiozele from TRADOC to speak for am. Obhiozele no carry mouth no go paddy, as e praise di retirees for their hard work and commitment. “Dis day wey we dey celebrate, na for courage, discipline and selfless service to our great nation we go dey recognize you,” he yarn.
Na so e continue, “Your 35-year journey na di best way to show wetin military traditions be – resilience and patriotism. As you waka enter civvy life, we go dey urge you to maintain this mindset and be pillars for your communities.” No wahala, e no dey very far from reality!
Air Vice Marshal Bashir Mamman, di Commandant of NAFRC, also come talk say di centre don train over 53,000 personnel since dem start. E thank President Bola Tinubu for di better things wey don come, like bigger starter packs for retirees, digitisation of their records, and new workshop equipment. “All dis improvements don make am easy to prepare servicemen for di civilian life,” Mamman clear the air.
Dem retirees wey don learn plenty vocational skills come dey shine as dem dey collect their discharge certificates under di cheers of their families. Some of dem say di moment na emotional but hopeful, as dem dey ready to face di world.
Sergeant Musa Bello no carry back hand talk say, “Di training don prepare me well for civil life. I don learn wetin to do for farm, and I hope to invest my gratuity dey enter farming. I dey proud of my service years.” This na beta news for person wey sabi wetin e dey do, e no go carry loss enter wetin e dey plan!
At di end of di ceremony, dem do di traditional lowering of flags to mark their formal exit from military service. Na serious day be dis, but at least dem fit carry something to hold for their future. As dem don retire, make dem no forget di values wey dem learn, and make dem also remember sey to chop palm wine without stress na wetin civilians dey enjoy!
