First Lady Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan (middle) flanked left and right by wife of the vice president Hajiya Amina Sambo and wife of the Inspector-General of Police Hajiya Jemila Rimgim among other wives of service chiefs during 51st Independence cocktail party at Aso Villa Abuja.
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51st anniversary marked with presidential change of guards
Gloria Essien, Abuja.
The 51st Independence Anniversary was marked at the presidential villa, Abuja, with a special Presidential Change of Guard and Signpost.
This is the first time a formal Presidential Change of Guard is being done, witnessed by the public though selected crowd was held in the Presidential Villa.
Before now especially during President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration, only the cutting of the cake was done at the Forecourt after the independence parade usually held at the Eagles Square, Abuja.
As early as 7 a.m., Presidential villa was already bubbling with activities as the protocol officers, security operatives and the journalists from the broadcast stations, there to carry the event live were seen putting finishing touches to one thing or the other.
The ceremony held at the forecourt of the President's office, was conducted by two battalions of the Presidential Guards Brigade, the 177 battalion based in Keffi and the 7th Guards Battalion, Abuja.
The ceremony commenced with the arrival of President Goodluck Jonathan and is wife, Patience, by 10:05am, after expecting the Guarter Guard at the Forecourt gate, he went to the podium where he received the General Salute and the National Anthem was played.
Invocations (prayers) were then offered by President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ayo Oritsejafor,
and the Chief Imam of the Abuja National Mosque, Sheikh Usman Muhammad.
Weapons were also checked
The Presidential Change of Guards were performed by 61 soldiers and involved foot and arms drill, rthymic and calculated steps, the weapons were also checked to ensure there were cleaned and that no rounds of arms were left in them.
Their uniforms were checked to ensure there were no shoddy turn out.
The Presidential Change of Guards are usually performed every early Monday morning, aimed at ensuring regimentation and that instructions given are carried out to the later with no excuses.
After the ceremony, President Jonathan signed anniversary register.
Anniversary cake
Then accompanied by his wife, Vice President Namadi Sambo and his wife, Senate President David Mark, Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, who represented the Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, Chief Justice of the Federation, Dahiru Musdafar, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, former President Shehu Shagari, President Jonathan cut the anniversary cake.
The President later released the pigeons signaling peace.
Others who witnessed the ceremony which lasted one hour 25 minutes were ministers, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and members of the diplomatic corps, Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseye Peterin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Onyeabo Azubike Ihejirika, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim, Inpector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, high profile politicians, members of the organized private sector, among others.
The Federal Government had on Thursday defended its decision to have a low key 51st Independence Anniversary insisting it does not have any link with the security challenges confronting the country.
The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, who was visibly angry at the prominent attention the media, was giving to Boko Haram activities and Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said, government having elaborately celebrated the 50th anniversary decided to tone down since the centinery celebrations was still ahead.
He had described as unfortunate and irresponsible, the reports that government feared there might be bomb attack at Eagle Square as being
threatened by the MEND.
He also said the low celebration was to save cost.
Iheanacho |
