Tinubu Appoints Grace Morenike as First Female Chairman of Nigerian Legion

President Bola Tinubu appointed Major General Grace Morenike (retd.) as the first female chairman of the Nigerian Legion on June 26, marking a historic milestone for the veterans’ organization. Morenike, a 35-year military veteran who served as Chief of Staff at the Nigerian Army’s Women Corps, replaces Abdulmalik Jibril, whose tenure ended amid allegations of mismanaging N500 million in welfare funds.

Morenike, aged 62, brings extensive experience, having led peacekeeping missions in Liberia and Sudan, earning the UN Service Medal in 2005. Her appointment aims to revitalize the Legion, which supports 200,000 veterans and their families, many facing pension delays since 2020. Tinubu tasked Morenike with securing N2 billion in federal funding for veterans’ healthcare and housing, addressing a 30% shortfall in benefits.

The appointment follows advocacy from women’s groups for greater female representation in security roles, with Nigeria’s military comprising only 7% women. Morenike plans to launch a nationwide veterans’ census by Q1 2026 to streamline welfare distribution. Her tenure is expected to boost morale among veterans, who have protested unpaid stipends, costing Nigeria N1 billion annually in social unrest.