Yesterday in Maiduguri, the President of the Defence and Police Officers' Wives Association (DEPOWA), Mrs. Oghogho Gwabin Musa, stood before the press with a message that should resonate in every Nigerian heart: our freedom is bought at a price too great to be ignored.
Launching the “Thank You to Our Troops” campaign, she painted an unflinching picture of wounded soldiers in hospital beds — young men and women bearing bullet wounds, burns, amputations, and scars that speak louder than any medal. Yet, she reminded us, their eyes still hold pride and their voices still pledge service to Nigeria.
A Mission Born from the Frontlines
Mrs. Musa said the campaign was inspired by her recent visits to wounded soldiers at the 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
She recounted emotional encounters with troops who had suffered severe injuries — from amputations to burns and bullet wounds — yet maintained unwavering resolve to serve their country.
“These are not just injuries — they are the living proof of sacrifice, a daily reminder that the freedom and peace we enjoy are bought at a very high price,” she said.
“In those faces, I saw both unimaginable suffering and the unbreakable will to serve.”
The campaign’s mission is clear: to bridge the gap between civilians and the military, and to engrave a culture of national gratitude. Over the next year, DEPOWA will take this message from classrooms to marketplaces, from military hospitals to remote frontlines, collecting and sharing messages of thanks to the men and women who defend our land, sea, and air.
Nationwide Engagement Over 12 Months
The DEPOWA President outlined the campaign’s activities, which will span the next year and cover all regions of Nigeria.
Key activities will include:
National appreciation events uniting leaders, veterans, and citizens.
Collection and amplification of gratitude messages from Nigerians worldwide via letters, videos, and social media.
Visits to military bases, hospitals, and frontline units to personally thank troops.
Mrs. Musa described the effort as “more than a campaign — a movement to bridge the gap between civilians and the military.”
Mrs. Musa’s announcement of the DEPOWA Future Leaders Academy, to be commissioned in September 2026, is a promise cast in concrete. It will stand as a living legacy for the children of fallen heroes — offering full scholarships and world-class education, ensuring their parents’ sacrifices are honoured not just in words, but in opportunities for the next generation.
A Lasting Legacy – The DEPOWA Future Leaders Academy
In a major announcement, Mrs. Musa unveiled the DEPOWA Future Leaders Academy, Abuja, set for commissioning in September 2026.
The academy will serve as a living tribute to fallen soldiers and offer automatic full scholarships to all qualified children of deceased military personnel. It will also admit children from surrounding communities to foster unity and national cohesion.
Additionally, DEPOWA pledged that 100% of the children of fallen heroes will receive scholarships to attend DEPOWA and sister organizations’ schools across Nigeria.
Mrs. Musa urged the media to amplify the campaign’s message by spotlighting the human stories of military personnel.
Honoring Sacrifice, Building Morale
Mrs. Musa acknowledged the personal costs of service, including missed family milestones, dangerous missions, and physical and emotional wounds.
“Your scars are not marks of loss — they are medals of honor. You are living testaments to courage, and your nation will never forget you,” she told wounded veterans.
She stressed that “gratitude fuels morale, morale fuels excellence, and excellence fuels victory.”
The call is not to the government alone. It is to all of us — to write, speak, and act our gratitude. To see our soldiers not as distant uniforms, but as fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters who forfeit comfort and safety so the rest of us may have them.
See also called on all Nigerians to take part — from writing thank-you messages to engaging with campaign platforms online.
Quoting an African proverb, she concluded:
“When you thank a warrior, you give him the strength to fight again. Let this campaign be the wind beneath the wings of our Armed Forces.”
In a nation too often divided by politics, ethnicity, or economics, gratitude is one thing that should unite us. As Mrs. Musa rightly said, “When you thank a warrior, you give him the strength to fight again.”
This is not charity. It is a responsibility. The freedom to speak, work, worship, and dream rests on the quiet heroism of men and women whose names we may never know. We owe them more than silence.
Let us make “Thank You to Our Troops” not just a campaign slogan, but a national habit.
The Defence and Police Officers' Wives Association is dedicated to supporting the welfare, education, and empowerment of military families, widows, and children of fallen heroes.