Abuja: Hajiya Safiyyah Shaibu, President, Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), has pledged to strengthen support systems for widows and vulnerable military families, describing them as the ‘quiet pillars’ behind Nigeria’s defenders. Shaibu made the pledge on Thursday in Abuja, during her first Executive Meeting as the 25th President of the association.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Shaibu expressed her awareness of the legacy she inherited and the expectations of thousands of women across formations nationwide. She highlighted that NAOWA was built on service and sacrifice, representing women who support soldiers on the frontlines while raising families and sustaining communities at home. She emphasized that the welfare of members, especially widows and families facing hardship, would remain central to her administration.
Beyond welfare, Shaibu stated that the association will prioritize sustainable programs that promote economic self-reliance among barracks women. She remarked, “When a woman is empowered, a family is strengthened; when families are stable, the military community is stronger.”
The NAOWA president also called for discipline, transparency, and proper documentation in the running of the association’s affairs, stressing that accountability must underpin all initiatives. She urged members of the executive to engage in honest dialogue and develop practical action plans that would reflect current realities facing military families. “The decisions we make here will affect thousands of families across formations and commands nationwide,” she said.
Shaibu concluded by calling for unity, clarity, and collective responsibility in steering the association forward. The meeting featured presentations of reports of stewardship by various coordinators of NAOWA from the different corps and formations nationwide. It also included presentations on discipline channels of communication as well as policy, procedure, and finances of NAOWA, and it is expected to be climaxed with a dinner on Friday.