By Evelyn Usman

One year after the passing of former Chief of Army Staff ,COAS Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, senior military officers, family members, traditional authorities and civil society organisations gathered on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at the TA Lagbaja Cantonment, Ikeja, Lagos, for a solemn remembrance ceremony in his honour.

The event, convened by the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, featured prayers, tributes and the distribution of palliatives to widows of fallen soldiers, reflecting the values of service and compassion associated with the late Army Chief.

In his remarks, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Major General Farouk Mijinyawa, described Lagbaja as “a leader, mentor and officer of exceptional character who served the nation with uncommon dedication.”

“Exactly a year ago, the Nigerian Army lost a great leader who gave his all for this nation. Late Lieutenant General Lagbaja was a mentor and an icon every officer looked up to,” he said.

Mijinyawa noted that during his one-year tenure, the late COAS initiated critical reforms that enhanced professionalism, improved troop welfare and strengthened the Army’s operational capacity.

According to him, the gesture of providing food items to widows of fallen personnel was symbolic of the late Lagbaja’s commitment to the wellbeing of soldiers and their families.

“The Army will continue to stand by you and do everything within its power to comfort and support you,” he assured the widows.

Representatives of the Oba of Lagos, led by the Ojoh of Lagos, Chief Tajudeen Abisogun, joined civil society groups, including the Prayers and Support for the Nigerian Armed Forces and Other Security Agencies PSNASA to pay their respects.

Convener of PSNASA, Ambassador Mary Abayomi Fatile, described the late Army Chief as a father figure and emblem of selfless service.

She said: “General Lagbaja’s tenure was defined by courage, patriotism and a resolute commitment to restoring peace across Nigeria. We chose to honour him in this way because he loved the military deeply and served his fatherland with sincerity and passion.”

Fatile prayed that the values Lagbaja embodied would continue to guide members of the Armed Forces and inspire renewed hope for peace and unity in the country.

Also speaking, chairman of the St. Charles Grammar School, Osogbo, Class of 1984, Mr. Babatunde Kasunmu, recalled the late COAS as a quiet, humble and disciplined individual.

“He was the least person among us we expected to join the military. But when he did, he excelled and left behind a remarkable legacy. We miss him dearly,” he said.

The ceremony featured special prayers led by Colonel N.I. Saleh for the repose of the soul of the late COAS and other fallen heroes. Palliatives were later distributed to widows of soldiers who died in the line of duty.