On the night of April 14, 2014 a thick dark cloud befell the North-eastern part of Nigeria, it settled on the Government Secondary School Chibok town, Borno State. 276 female students aged between 15-19 were abducted by a terrorist group, boko haram while preparing to write their secondary school final year exam. Some of the girls managed to escape within hours to their abduction but about 219 were taken away. Few more of them escaped over the next few months while 21 of them were released in October 2016 following negotiations between the terrorist group and the Nigerian government. Today, three years down the line, 195 of the abducted girls are still missing.

There is only one comfort good enough to heal the persistent trauma being experienced by the girls’ parents – bring back our girls! Recall that on the same day, a bomb blast occurred in the country’s capital, Abuja which claimed 88 lives and injured several. As a parent, if my child was one of those killed in the bomb blast, may be the pain would have subsided, after three years, may be! But the awareness that your child is somewhere enslaved, abused, and molested daily or forcefully put in a family way is a constant trauma that could not abate until the last is heard.

The scale of barbaric violence being witnessed in this part of the world is unbearable. Thousands had been killed, several hundreds abducted, and myriads had been displaced. Although, the scale of attacks has been drastically reduced, it is far from been over. Thanks to the purging of the Nigerian Armed forces of corruption by the present regime and the sustained efforts by various pressure groups and opinion leaders all over the world at putting the government on its toes. The war against terrorism in Nigeria cannot be termed as won, until the remaining girls are back alive; until all the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are restored; and until all schools are opened and running in safe atmosphere.

We are using this medium to appreciate the gallant military men and officers for their sterling performance in the recent past. We acknowledge that some lost their lives in the fight while many have been badly injured. Appreciation goes to leaders around the world who have helped and still helping. Worthy of mention is the fact that most of the IDP camps are built and sustained by international donors and UN agencies, no thanks to the inept, inhuman and corrupt leadership at helms of affairs in Nigeria. We call on government at all levels to do their job or throw in the towel.

It is obvious that the terrorist group in Nigeria dread the emancipation that accompanies education, especially for girls, because their ideology can only thrive in the darkness of illiteracy. The way forward is to sustainably invade the northern Nigeria with the light of education. By 2030, every child must be in school and every adult must have had at least 12 years of quality education. I have a proposal, between ‘western education’ and ‘eastern education’ is the mode of education in the United Arab Emirate, we may be able to generate a custom-made form of education that will engender sustainable development and suitable for all. But not educating our entire populace is absolutely unacceptable.

As we observe the third anniversary of the sad event, chibok girls abduction, we sympathize with parents and hope with them that our ultimate comfort is around the corner. At the same time we call on all stake holders to get stronger by the days until we #BringBackOurGirls.

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