The Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, Tuesday, caused a stir as she slumped at the boom of artillery gunfire at the 2013 Armed Forces Remembrance Day parade which held at the National Arcade in Abuja .
Apparently caught unawares, as the commencement of the artillery boom was not announced as it used to be, Obada, who was flanked by other dignitaries, was apparently shocked by the volley of deafening shots.
She therefore slumped but was helped by vigilant military aides who took her to one corner where she eventually regained consciousness.
The minister later returned to the ceremony where she joined other state officials and dignitaries in laying wreaths in remembrance of the country’s fallen heroes.
President Goodluck Jonathan, along with leaders of the National Assembly, the judiciary, service chiefs and the paramilitary, had earlier on kicked off the event by laying wreaths in remembrance of the fallen soldiers.
January 15 of every year is set aside to honour and remember those who fought to keep the country one in the Nigerian civil war.
The armed forces remembrance day is globally celebrated every December 11. It is however marked every January 15 in Nigeria because that was the day the first coup occurred in Nigeria and it eventually resulted in the Nigerian civil war.
January 15 is also the day the Biafra War ended with the concept of “no victor, no vanquish” and the beginning of national re-integration.
Tuesday’s event was therefore the climax of a series of activities, including prayer sessions, held at the National Mosque and the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, which started a week ago.
The ceremony, which held at the National Arcade in the Three Arms Zone, Abuja started at 10am with President Jonathan, who is also the Grand Patron of the Nigerian Legion, receiving a general salute upon his arrival.
The president later inspected a parade of guards in four colours; the National colour and the three regimental colours of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.
