By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Defence and Police Officers’ Wives (DEPOWA) in conjunction with the Israeli Embassy in Abuja has gifted a total of 360 families of fallen heros food items tagged “COVID-19 Ramadan package.
The gifts which include rice, beans, noodles, vegetable oil and semovina is in commemoration of this year’s Eid-il-fitri celebration.
A press release by the Acting Director Defence Information, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said the items were handed out to widows and orphans of the fallen heroes of the Armed Forces of Nigeria residing within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and contiguous states by the DEPOWA President, Barr. (Mrs) Vickie Irabor.
The items were donated by the Israeli Embassy, Chabad-Aid and the Jewish community in Nigeria.
The gesture was also aimed at commemorating the 60 years of diplomatic relationship between the nations of Israel and Nigeria.
The DEPOWA President used the opportunity to reassure the beneficiaries of their committment towards addressing their welfare needs.
She maintained that the sacrifices of the fallen heroes will never be in vain, as the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), DEPOWA and the nation will continue to remember their loyalty and patriotism. Mrs Irabor conveyed the goodwill message of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and the Service Chiefs and assured the widows of the commitment of the AFN in working closely with DEPOWA to support them and their children to quality live.
The DEPOWA President lauded the Israeli Embassy and the entire Jewish community for touching the lives of the widows and orphans of fallen heroes. This gesture, she said, has opened new vista of relationship between DEPOWA and the Jewish community.
She urged other corporate organizations and individuals to emulate the gesture, by supporting DEPOWA’s humanitarian efforts, as the association is ready to partner with Nigerians and the international community in its numerous humanitarian and social intervention programmes aimed at bringing succor to less privileged persons in the society. Speaking earlier, the Israeli Deputy Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Yotam Kreiman, while presenting the relief items, commended DEPOWA for providing humanitarian services for families of fallen and other vulnerable groups.
Mr Kreiman noted that the Isreali Embassy share in the grief and pains of the widows. He commended the AFN and other security agencies for working assiduously in the defence of Nigeria as well as protection of lives and property.
Speaking on behalf of the Jewish communities, the Rabbi of Chabad, Mr Israel Uzan, disclosed that the humanitarian donation was significant as it demonstrates the peaceful coexistence between the Jewish and Muslim communities. He added that both the fallen soldiers and their families are the nation’s true heroes.
Mr. Usan explained that the Jewish community will equally partner with DEPOWA in others areas of human endeavours.
The National Secretary of the Military Widows Association (MWA), Mrs Deborah Abel, thanked DEPOWA and her collaborators for putting a smile on the faces of the military widows and their families during this festive period. She thanked the DEPOWA President and the CDS for supporting their families since their assumption of office. DEPOWA is a Non Governmental Organization responsible for the execution of humanitarian and social intervention programmes on behalf of the AFN.
