Nigerians Before “Chibok Girls”: A Reminder By Olunlade Emmanuel Oluwasegun

The kidnap of over 200 girls in Chibok is perhaps the most devastating incident that has occurred since the civil war. The narrative of the event from the incident itself to its aftermath, discussion has been sardonic, depressing and aching. It is even just to say that the devilish nature of the Boko Haram insurgency did not gain so much corroboration before that event. This despotic act of these callous individuals is so visible, even to the blind and the resulting pain and wail of the Nigerian society, specifically the mothers of these girls affected, so audible even to the deaf.



In the face of this event, the unaffected citizens, foreigners and almost in fact the entire world colludes unanimously to “bring back our girls”. The effort and dedication of government to end this raging, senseless, causeless insurgency even cuts across different eras of governance. The gallant and brave soldiers of the country tirelessly fight, even the “vigilante” groups continue to remain vigilant and resilient and unrelenting despite their lack of skill and training.

In complete isolation of the foregoing the story has changed. Three years after and the discussion of the missing Chibok girls among Nigerian citizens seems more like a gossip, a ‘long time event”, an uninteresting and boring topic, even sometimes a likely debate topic. It even seems like a nearly always barely concealed maintain status quo order for the government to tackle the Boko haram insurgency. The society seems not to bother, maybe because of the saying that the passage of time would heal all wounds. But has this wound healed?

I write not just as a human being who naturally feels empathy and sadness for the missing girls after all, having feelings is natural but more importantly it is temporal and ephemeral. So I write as a Nigerian who would always and infinitely remain so. I write because as a Nigerian I am bond and bound in connection with the Chibok girls who are also Nigerians. This is not just an intellectual engagement because definitely I will be done with it at some point, this is not an emotional appeal because definitely I would get high some time, this is not to join the current trend because definitely something else would trend. This is a call of a Nigerian to other Nigerians to be total, resolute, determined to bring the Chibok girls home, because they are just like us, Nigerians.  



*This piece is in commemoration of the Third Year Anniversary of the Kidnapping of the Chibok Girls

** Olunlade Emmanuel Oluwasegun  is the Speaker of the LSSABUAD Legislature.