MAKINDE COMMISSIONER APPRECIATES ALL PARTICIPANTS IN CELEBRATION OF LIVING & FALLEN HEROES AS OYO STATE COMMEMORATES 2026 ARMED FORCES REMEMBRANCE/CELEBRATION WEEK

Yesterday in the metropolis,we celebrated the Wreath Laying Ceremony; the culmination of a week long schedule of programs(Armed Forces Remembeance & Celebration Week) intended to pay tribute to the sacrifices of our heroes in and out of uniform, some of who paid the supreme sacrifice so that we can be safe

This National Annual Observance is a solemn reminder that our men in uniform face daily risks, make daily sacrifices to safeguard our lives, property and territorial integrity

We appreciate the following eminent citizens for participating in yesterday’s event

• His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫 ’𝐒𝐞𝐲𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞 𝐅𝐍𝐒𝐄, 𝐃.Sc., 𝐆𝐒𝐒𝐑𝐒

• His Excellency the 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 Governor of Oyo 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲, 𝐎𝐛𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐢, 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐣𝐚

• ⁠Their Excellenc𝐢𝐞𝐬, the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐲𝐨 𝐋𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐥 former Deputy Governors present

• ⁠𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐲𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭e present

• ⁠𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 Speaker Oyo State House of Assembly 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞, 𝐑𝐭. 𝐇𝐨𝐧. 𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐨 𝐎𝐠𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧 ably represented by Rt Hon Mohammed Fadeyi; Deputy Speaker OYSHA

*Hon Comforter Olajide; Chairman House Committee on Women Affairs &* other members of the committee present

• ⁠𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 Judge 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐲𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐈𝐲𝐚𝐛𝐨 𝐘𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 esteemed members of the Oyo State 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐲,

• ⁠𝐀𝐥𝐥 Service C𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 uniformed officers of the military and para-military services 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭

• ⁠𝐀𝐥𝐥 retired officers( Nigerian Legion), 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 heroes

• ⁠𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐮𝐫 reverred Royal Fathers present

• ⁠𝐀𝐥𝐥 other political appointees,

• ⁠members of the 3rd Estate of the Realm,

• ⁠honored guests, ladies & gentlemen,

We humbly express our appreciation for your presence at yesterday’s Armed Forces Celebration & Remembrance Day. Your participation honors the sacrifices of our brave men and women in uniform.

We thank you Your Excellency for your unwavering support for the officers of the security architecture of our state. Your leadership continually inspires us all

To our military and para military officers, your dedication to our nation’s peace and security is both inspiring and commendable. We salute you!

To our fallen , gallant heroes past, you paid the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of our lives & territorial integrity.We honor you, our generations yet unborn will celebrate you

To our veterans, your service is etched in our nation’s history. We honor and value your sacrifices

To the widows and orphans left behind by our fallen heroes; We feel your pains, we value you,we appreciate the sacrifices of our heroes past and assure you that His Excellency Engr Seyi Makinde is committed to alleviating your pains and bringing you succour by activating neccesary programs & interventions to sustainably empower you through our Ministry

I also again specially extend our appreciation to His Excellency for making this year’s event possible & for increasing the State’s donation to the Nigerian Legion this year at the Emblem Launch Event on wednesday,His Excellency the Deputy Governor,the SSG, COS,HOS for all the moral support even while i was away,appreciate you sirs and ma,my PS,the organizing committee and staff of the ministry(we were at the stadium till past midnight the night before to ensure the success of the event) Your efforts are truly appreciated and valued

The Senior Special Assistant to His Excellency on Special Duties Miss Lolade Ajibola for all the support & late night interventions across different time zones, His Excellency’s Protocol Team led by the DG Protocol .Your efforts are truly appreciated and valued

We also extend hearty thank yous to all distinguished guests and well wishers not mentioned earlier, for joining us to celebrate and to remember the sacrifices of our heroes in and out of uniform, on and off the battlefields

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria

God bless Oyo State

*Hon(Mrs) Toyin BALOGUN*

COMMISSIONER FOR WOMEN AFFAIRS & SOCIAL INCLUSION