The last one month had been
fearful scene for Nigerians after the abduction of uncertain and unknown
numbers of young girls that were kidnapped at Government Girls Secondary School
(GGSS) Chibok Nigeria by the insurgent group called Boko Harram.
The girls who were to write West
African Examination Council – one of the mandatory examinations that allows
students to be admitted into any higher institution of learning in West Africa
never taught they would be kidnapped, not only kidnapped but not being able to
write the examination and to see their families perhaps for life because their
whereabouts is still unknown.
A week after their kidnap, the
Nigerian military through Chris Olukolade, the spoke person of the Nigerian
Army claimed they have rescued 107 abducted girls were freed from the den of
Boko Harram. The Borno government officials, the management of the school and
residents have confirmed it as a big lie. They later said they have not been
able to save any of the girls which they later apologized for misinforming the
public.
According to the Punch Newspaper,
one of the prominent newspapers in Nigeria dated April 19, 2014 in the country
has it that over 2,596 Nigerians had been killed in the last three months without
adding up the recent deadly attacks that occurred in Jos.
Properties, business, families,
hopes and towns have been raised down because of the deadly attacks of Boko
Haram. On daily basis, deaths of people are being recorded in the Northern part
of the country, schools have been
closed in some Northern State of the country to avoid being attack.
Before the kidnap of those girls,
the government popular rhythm has always been that they are on top of the situation
not knowing that it is the situation that is dragging them all along in the
mud. Government effort to end the high rate of insurgency had not made any
meaningful impact. It seemed they were endangering the life of people to play
politics, politics of who take the baton to become the president of the country
in 2015.
A day after the Yanyan bomb blast
in Abuja, President Jonathan went to Kano for a political rally dancing “asonto” – a popular dance style in the
country, living the families of the bomb victims to bear their agony alone.
Malaysia is not in Venus, North Korea is not in Pluto, we saw the response of
the government when their citizens lost their life in airplane and boat
respectively. If possible President Jonathan would prefer to govern a nation
where there are no people only because of his myopic political ambition.
The little effort they are making
now would not have been made if the international media like CNN, Aljazeera,
Reuters, Social media and others have not blown the kidnap of the school girls
to the world. If not for the media, Nigerian government would have wanted the
whole thing to have been buried without letting the world know. No Nigerian
journalist dare question any government officials the way Aisha Sesay
questioned Labaran Maku, Doyin Okupe and other officials, if the journalist is
not sacked he woudl be severely warned or given another beat that is not
important.
What would have been the essence
of the media if it cannot defend the rights of the helpless, give voice to the
voiceless? The intervention of CNN in propagating the children abduction to the
world was at the right time. People that were criticizing Aisha Sesay when she
was squeezing government officials seem to be benefitting from the government. Nigerian
government will not have done anything if the thing has not received
international attention. Example of this is the recent strike of Academic Staff
Union of University strike that lapsed for more than 7 months which was just called
off. Presently, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics had been on strike for
more a year now – wreaking school programs and the career of the students,
government seems not to be making any effort to end the strike.
The activities of CNN reporters
in Chibog – where the school girls were abducted are commendable, even till now
our President had not been to Chibog. According to him, he said going to Chibog
would not have changed anything. Perhaps our President does not know the
importance of emotional healing and support he would have given to the families
of the abducted girls, the hope that will be built in average Chibog child that
would be kindle for seeing the President for the very first, whatsoever might
be his excuse for not going to Chibog, I think it is inconsequential.
If our President that has
security protection from Nigeria military, Nigerian airforce, Nigerian Police,
Nigerian Navy could not go to Chibog which Nigerian journalist would want to go
there and waste his life? A typical Nigerian journalist is not covered by any
simple form of insurance, either life or death. I don’t know up till now if any
Nigeiran journalist or government officials have been to Chibog.
The effort of CNN’s Nima Elbagir,
Lillian Leposo, Nick Migwe and other crew that made the dangerous journey to
Chibok to gather firsthand accounts of the abduction of the schoolgirls -- and
how people in the northeastern town are still living in fear should be
appreciated. They went there and showed to the whole world the kind of life
people are living in the community.
Comments
Post a Comment