April 14, the fateful day when nearly 300 girls
were abducted in Chibok town, Borno State, became something that
divided the lives of Nigerians into “before” and “after”.
First we counted days of the school girls missing. Then days turned
into weeks, and weeks into months… And with hopes fading away inversely
proportional to the time of the girls’ absence, we have nothing to do
but pray that they will be released before the clock tinkle out 1 year.
It will not be an exaggeration to say that this tragedy has changed
all of us. And this process continues as more than 7 months after the
incident, our daughters are still missing.
The unprecedented Chibok abduction changed Nigerians in many ways…
1. We have become more distrustful
When the Chief of Defence Staff,
Air Marshal Alex
Badeh, announced that the military found the girls’ whereabouts,
weeks after the abduction, we believed that God heard our prayers. What
we expected was the victims’ soon return. However it never happened and
the army tops, backed by the government, continued providing the excuses
for not rescuing the children. They said they would restrain from using
force in order not to harm the girls.
With the time passing by and Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau,
mocking the rescue
campaigns in the videos, we started doubting that anyone knows
anything about their location. Although the authorities insisted that
they were working on the military operation aimed at releasing the
victims, we could not understand why they had failed to come up with the
solution for so long.
We did not and still do not know who to believe. The loud statements
cause only irritation. When words are followed by zero result, these
words mean nothing.
2. We have learnt the desparate truth: international
intervention is not a remedy
While the response of the Nigerian government and military was
characterized by many as slow and untimely, the most powerful countries
in the world responded actively when authorized to do so by the Federal
Government.
The breaking point was
the US sending troops to Nigeria for finding and
rescuing the girls. Many countries, including the UK and China, also
showed commitment to helping out Nigerians…
What we though might come as the miraculous answer to the long-time
question, brought same results, same nothing. At this point we stopped
believing that someone would solve our problems.
3. We have started seeing political games everywhere
After the Chibok girls abduction the reports about Boko Haram
sponsors began circulating in the media more often.
There came revelations by the Australian negotiator Stephen Davis who
named the politicians allegedly responsible for supporting insurgency
in the country.
The rival party politicians started shooting arrows at each other
saying who sponsors Boko Haram and blaming each other for the mass
kidnap of school girls.
Some went even further saying that
the whole Chibok
saga was a “scam” used for internal political games. This claim did
not remain unnoticed and was followed
by the protests during
which the confused people demanded truth.
Ahead of the 2015 general elections, the tension is growing with
every single day and everything looks and seems politicized.
4. We have lost faith in the eloquent words like
“negotiations”, “talks” and “ceasefire”
While we do try to cherish the hope, the meaning of these words has
altered in our minds.
For months we had been hearing from various sources that the
government was holding talks with Boko Haram commanders regarding the
girls’ release. Several times it was provided that the Nigerian
authorities and the insurgents allegedly agreed on the conditions of
the
“swap deal”.
But every time the deal for some reason failed and every such failure
was traced by mutual allegations and accusations.
The
October 17 so-called ceasefire agreement, which also
stipulated for Chibok girls release, was followed by several ghastly
attacks and Shekau’s video, in which he dismissed holding any talks with
the Nigerian government.
5. As sad as it can be… we have become united by the common
grief
Looking in the eyes of the girls’ parents, who wake up and go to
sleep with one and the same thought every single day, we feel helpless,
vulnerable and unprotected.
The whole country is grieving with Chibok community and the
children’s families. We got united by pain and fear. And by the national
prayer, which is …
Dear Lord, Bring Back Our Girls.
