Chibok will never be same again. Chibok, a sleepy village in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria lost almost 300 girls to the menacing Boko Haram. The Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram has been causing havoc in Nigeria especially in the northern part of the country with a greater concentration on the northern east of Nigeria. Boko Haram has bombed and terrorized Churches, market place and recently it has bombed the outskirt of Abuja, the federal capital territory of Nigeria. Lives and properties have been consumed with the evil and calamitous operations by Boko Haram and innocent Nigerian citizens are the casualties.
For some time it looked like that the world and international community were keeping quiet, while Nigerian government appears to be in efficient in combating terrorism on her doorpost. The strength of Boko Haram was bulging and with impunity the forces of evil attacked innocent civilians and there was no price to be paid.
But on the fateful day, when the innocent and scholastic girls were abducted from their school dormitory and transported to unknown destination, the whole wide world rose to its feet and resoundingly said no to the abduction. The women of the world championed by Oby Ezekwesili, the former vice president of World Bank who lunched the hash tag #BringBackOurGirls on the social media and it took off like a wild fire.
“The movement to #BringBackOurGirls, which actually originated in Nigeria, has thus far demonstrated the virtues of solidarity and grassroots international cooperation, within and beyond the African diaspora. It has shed much meaningful light on how to make visibility and voice to the invisible and voiceless.
It has reminded us all of the value of naming and shaming – naming the girls to remind the world that they are human beings, and shaming terrorists, Nigeria’s incompetent government, and the structural and institutional racism and misogyny that allowed an atrocity of this magnitude to go unnoticed two weeks and unresolved for over three,” as noted by Marissa Jackson
United States first lady, Mitchell Obama and human right activist, Malala Yousafzai, are all standing up and standing behind the 300 abducted Nigerians girls that were brutally taken away to unknown destination by the Islamist Boko Haram. The first lady, Mrs Obama tweeted a picture of herself holding a sign board with the written words: “Bring Back Our Girls.”
“Our prayers are with the missing Nigerian girls and their families. It’s time to #BringBackOurGirls. – Mo.,” as tweeted by the first lady.
Yousafzai, the global human activist for endangered female also joined in the solidarity for the forceful stolen Nigerian girls. “Yousafzai survived an assassination attempt by the Pakistani Taliban in her native country in 2002. The group targeted her because of our outspoken support for girls’ education.”
Yousafzai extended a sisterly love to the abducted girls by calling them her sisters: “These girls are my sisters, “And I am feeling very sad.” Her message for the abducted Nigerians: “Never lose hope because we are with you.”
In defense of President Jonathan’s Administration
Every observer, pundits including international media were vilifying President Jonathan’s administration for his reluctance to act and for what they perceived and deemed as the necessary steps to be taken by the Nigerian government to combat and subdue Boko Haram. It is easier said than done, Boko Haram posses a formidable challenge that calls for a sophisticated and enhanced strategic network and initiative. The bitter truth is that Boko Haram is operating in a dysfunctional society of Nigeria divided by region, ethnicity, politics and religion. Nigeria is a complex society laden with colonial problems of yesterdays.
President Jonathan and his administration have not been folding their hands and did nothing. He has been managing this peculiarity inflicting the country but paucity of adequate strategic planning and modern technological tools made his effort less productive. Moreover, his media team lack of public relation savvy makes him look ineffective in the eye of the world. But the truth is that President Jonathan has not cease in trying to extinguish the consuming fire engulfing his country.
Now with the coalition of the willing nations – including Nigeria and four neighboring countries together with France, the United States, the United Kingdom “will coordinate “ and work with each other to combat the destabilizing Boko Haram. One thing for sure, the days of Boko Haram operating with impunity are numbered.
