By Our Reporter
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Ms. Grace Morenike Henry as the new Chairman of the National Council of the Nigerian Legion, making her the first woman and first non-commissioned officer to hold the position.
The announcement was contained in an official statement signed by Chief Abdul Lauya, Senior Special Assistant on Media & Digital Communications to the Chairman, and made available to the press on June 26, 2025.
Ms. Henry’s appointment, which takes effect from June 7, 2025, was conveyed through a letter signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
Born on October 5, 1964, Ms. Henry retired from the Nigerian Army in the year 2000.
Until her appointment, she was the Director of Corporate Affairs at the Nigerian Legion Headquarters in Abuja and also holds the position of National Coordinator of Female Military Veterans of Nigeria.
She succeeds Maj. Gen. AbdulMalik Jibrin (rtd), and her emergence is widely viewed as a milestone for gender inclusion and representation within Nigeria’s military veterans’ community.
Chief Lauya noted that President Tinubu expressed full confidence in Ms. Henry’s leadership and urged her to leverage her experience to reposition the Legion for greater impact.
The Nigerian Legion is a statutory organization responsible for advancing the welfare of ex-servicemen and their dependents, as well as promoting patriotism, rehabilitation, and national unity through remembrance activities.
In a related development, the Chairman has distanced herself from a controversial article titled “The 4 Most Powerful Non-Commissioned Military Veterans in Nigeria”, which included her name among others in a purported ranking.
The article, dated June 25, 2025, and allegedly published by ABC News, was described as misleading, divisive, and lacking credibility by the Office of the Chairman.
“Leadership is not about grandstanding or media manipulation,” Ms. Henry stated in the release, rejecting any notion of hierarchy or factionalism within the veterans’ structure.
She emphasized that under her leadership, the Nigerian Legion will remain a unified and inclusive institution serving all veterans, commissioned and non-commissioned, without bias.
Chief Lauya called on the public and the media to disregard the said article and focus on verified information issued through official channels.
