NAOWA President: Strong Family Support Vital to Soldiers’ Morale and Military Success

The President of the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), Dr Safiya Shaibu, has emphasised the importance of family support in sustaining soldiers’ morale, resilience and operational effectiveness amid Nigeria’s security challenges.

Shaibu, who is the wife of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Waidi Shaibu, said military families played a crucial role in helping personnel cope with the emotional and psychological demands of service, particularly during prolonged deployments.

She spoke on Wednesday at a sensitisation seminar for spouses and children of Nigerian Army personnel at Jaji Military Cantonment in Kaduna State. The event was organised by the Nigerian Army Headquarters Department of Transformation and Innovation under the theme, “Enlightening Families on Nigerian Army Operations and Their Roles in Mission Success.”

Represented by the Chairman of NAOWA’s Education Committee, Mrs Abisat Abdullahi, the association’s president said the programme was designed to improve families’ understanding of military operations and equip them to provide effective support to personnel.

She noted that addressing contemporary security challenges required not only a professional and resilient fighting force but also informed and supportive families. According to her, military life places considerable emotional and psychological pressure on both soldiers and their loved ones.

“We cannot achieve lasting operational success if the home front is left uninformed or unsupported,” Shaibu said.

She encouraged military families to understand the demands of service, the reasons for deployments and the welfare support systems available to them. She also reaffirmed NAOWA’s commitment to improving family welfare through programmes promoting unity, self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods.

Earlier, the Chief of Army Transformation and Innovation, Major-General Peter Okoye, who represented the Chief of Army Staff, said the seminar was organised in response to observations from ongoing military operations across the country. He identified concerns involving combat effectiveness, the impact of operations on personnel, and drug and substance abuse.

Okoye said the Army had previously held a seminar for personnel on warrior ethos, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse. He added that families could help identify early signs of behavioural changes in soldiers because of their close contact with them outside operational environments.

Also speaking, Mrs Maryam Inuwa said the family-focused programme followed an earlier seminar for military personnel and reflected the Army’s recognition of the home front as an important part of mission success.

Inuwa outlined four key areas covered by the programme: leadership in family life, practising warrior ethos at home, preventing drug and substance abuse, and supporting the recovery of personnel experiencing PTSD. She urged families to encourage mutual respect, effective communication and discipline while supporting the mental well-being of their loved ones.

The organisers expressed confidence that the initiative would strengthen relationships between the Army and military families, improve personnel welfare and contribute to operational effectiveness.