National Defence College Officers Wives Association (NDCOWA) Distributes Palliative to Widows and Orphans of Fallen Heroes

The National Defence College Officers Wives Association (NDCOWA) distributed palliatives to the widows and orphans of fallen heroes, at an event at the College Officers Mess today, 24th September 2025. While acknowledging the sacrifices made by their spouses, NDCOWA Coordinator, Mrs. Isabella Okosun assured the widows of maximum support through the provision of palliatives and skills training to improve their living standards. She encouraged them to not give up, to love themselves, be happy, and “do something for yourself no matter how little” to cater for their families.

Her core advice was to stay strong, rebuild themselves around their loss, and move on, emphasizing that they are now the “boss”. She stressed the importance of empowerment by learning a skill or doing a trade, noting this would shield their families from vices and help them inculcate good morals.

While delivering a lecture on Grief and Healing, titled Beyond Griefs: Restoring Peace, the Guest Speaker, Mrs Priscilla Ogunu, a renowned Nigerian psychotherapist, emphasized that the aim of the event is to help widows overcome grief and allow the pain to heal, stating that expressing grief is a natural process and should not cause guilt or shame. She acknowledged the high rate of widowhood in the Armed Forces due to the dangerous nature of the job; she encouraged them to face the challenges of widowhood with courage and determination, reminding them, “You are not alone on this.”

The event also included an interactive session and the presentation of gifts.