As the nation commemorates the 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day (AFCRD), a poignant call to action has been issued from the heart of a military community, urging a deeper, more sustained form of national gratitude.
In Sokoto, during a solemn ceremony at the Giginya Barrack Jumuat Mosque, the Acting Deputy Director of Islamic Affairs for the 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major Tanimu Hamisu, who also serves as the Chief Imam, delivered a powerful sermon that moved beyond ritual remembrance. He implored all Nigerians to actively pray for the souls of the nation’s fallen heroes, framing their ultimate sacrifice as the bedrock upon which national unity, progress, and peaceful coexistence are built.
“We must remember and recognize them at all times, not just on designated days,” Major Hamisu stressed, highlighting that the debt owed to these soldiers is perpetual. His message underscored a critical theological perspective within Islam, often less emphasized in public discourse. During the Friday congregational prayer, he cited Qur’anic verses and prophetic traditions (Hadith) that specifically honour those who die in battle while defending their communities and nations. He explained that such individuals are accorded a special, honoured status in the hereafter—a concept known as *Shahada* (martyrdom)—which serves as both a solace to grieving families and a profound moral encouragement to serving personnel.
However, the Chief Imam’s address significantly expanded the conventional narrative of remembrance. He presented a two-fold, practical roadmap for national support:
- Sustained Care for the Living: Major Hamisu explicitly called for the continuous support of the families left behind, particularly widows and orphans within Army formations. He urged individuals, community groups, and institutions to assist these families in practical ways—from ensuring proper child upbringing and education to inculcating moral values. This, he argued, is the true test of a nation’s gratitude, ensuring that the sacrifice of one generation does not become a lifelong burden for the next.
- Active Rejection of Threats to Security: In a direct and unequivocal warning, the Deputy Director cautioned citizens against any form of collaboration with terrorists, bandits, and other criminal elements. He identified community informants as “perpetrators of evils,” equating their actions with those who take up arms against the state. This framed public cooperation with security forces not just as a civic duty, but as a moral imperative that honours the fallen by preventing further loss.
The event culminated in a tangible act of community support with the distribution of food items to barrack community members and the needy, embodying the very spirit of collective responsibility the Imam advocated.
This call from Sokoto reframes Armed Forces Remembrance from a passive day of reflection into an active, year-round covenant. It challenges every Nigerian to contribute—through prayer, through direct support for military families, and through unwavering patriotism that denies oxygen to the forces the heroes fought against. The true remembrance, as outlined by Major Hamisu, is a living commitment to uphold the peaceful and unified nation for which they gave their lives.
Reported by Habibu Harisu for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Edited by Vivian Ihechu.
