Last week when some of the nearly three hundred (300) school girls kidnapped in the town of Chibok by Boko Haram were released, our hearts were gladdened. Right now, we cannot wait for the rest of the girls to be freed as well so they can return home and finish up their schooling. It’s been a long time coming, and between their nearly three years in captivity and now, a lot has happened. Some of the girls were tortured, raped, impregnated, delivered of babies and stillbirths and worse…exposed to the harshest conditions characteristic of wars. All of these just because they sought to be educated! And what’s worse; their abduction/captivity was politicized much to their disadvantage and at some point hope was almost lost as to whether they would ever be found. So we are really glad that these girls are back. And we can’t stop wishing for the rest of them to be released.
Now as we have always emphasized here at Passnownow, Education is not a crime; therefore, students must never be subjected to the worst of conditions/circumstances just because they wish to learn and be educated. Boko Haram has wrought much damage (physically and psychologically) on the lives of students in Northern Nigeria and elsewhere. This has to stop completely. Of course we understand that the Nigerian Army and the Government have accomplished incredible feat by ensuring the releas of some of those girls; for that we thank them. Yet, we’d like for a lot more measures to be put in place towards ensuring that an incident like that never reoccurs.
Let us also specially thank all those who never relented in their clamour for the girls to be released. Top on the appreciation list is the Bring Back Our Girls Campaign! Thanks to you (and specifically Dr. Oby Ezekwesili), our girls are home and we’re expecting the rest of them soonest. May your activism continue to be useful; amen! Thank you to all the Media Houses who paid closer attention to this serious matter. And thanks to every other activist even in the Diaspora who leant their voices to this cause. You all are most loved and appreciated.
We couldn’t wish for anything more at this juncture than for the release f the other girls. And most importantly, it is our uttermost desire that Boko Haram be obliterated so that they never get to kidnap any more students. We also wish that as these girls continue to be released and reunited with their families, that measures should be put in place for their rehabilitation. Among those girls are the future Doctors, Lecturers, Writers Bureaucrats [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][etc] of our time. Let’s make it happen.
Now just before the pen is dropped on this matter, let it be emphasized that the Government has warned against any sort of Public Opinions that may encumber the release of the rest of the girls. We understand that Nigerians like having opinions, coming up with lots of Conspiracy Theories on issues of interest to them. But please, let any opinion you express on this matter not contribute ti making it difficult to ensure the safe return of the other girls. In other words, be mindful of what you say.
Let’s all continue to rejoice even as the rest of the girls are released soonest. Every student has the right to Education. This right should never be violated in any kind of way!
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