It is indeed a pleasure for me to be here at the grand finale of the 2019 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration in Ondo State. As you may be aware, this event gives us the opportunity to remember our fallen heroes through parades, laying of wreaths and paying special attention to the welfare of their immediate families and dependants. This ceremony takes place today all over the country at the Federal, State and Local Government levels.

It also affords us the medium to express appreciation to officers and men of the Armed Forces, serving, retired and those who paid the supreme sacrifice in the defence of their fatherland. I want to seize this opportunity to thank the security agencies for their efforts in providing security in the State. Recently, Operation Egwu Eke III was launched in the State to address our security challenges. This was not unconnected with the

incessant cases of kidnapping, armed robbery and ritual killings in parts of the State. I want to thank the Brigade Commander and his officers and men for their gallantry. We have started to see the effect of this

exercise as all these crime prone areas have been quiet of late. The State Government is also holding meetings with all the relevant stakeholders in the State, including the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and our traditional institutions. Also, as part of efforts to completely stem the tide, in the next few weeks, we shall be providing additional new operational vehicles for our security agencies for adequate, effective and efficient patrol of the State. The State Government is also organising a Security Summit later in the week. We are looking at the security architecture of the State holistically and trying to look at the challenges and proffering suitable solutions. I want to assure you of the readiness of the State Government to implement workable solutions generated at the end of the summit.

Ladies and gentlemen, during the 2018 celebration, I did promise that the Cenotaph would be given a facelift. The promise came on the heels of the request by the Chairman, Nigerian Legion in the State. It is obvious that

the Cenotaph that was constructed in 1994 had suffered serious neglect for many years. This was the situation when the demand for the upgrade/facelift was made, which led to what we are all seeing today. Though the work started late, it is, however, gratifying to see the effort we are making in renovating the Cenotaph. In a similar vein, I want to enjoin the Chairmen of Caretaker Committees in the Local Government Councils to consider having befitting Cenotaphs in their respective Local Government Area Headquarters in the State. The spirits of our departed heroes lying symbolically within the cenotaph.