In the last 20 something days Nigerians and the world at large have been inundated with calls of BringBackOurGirls from all quarters. From the Presidency and other government agencies, we have been fed with different stories and conspiracies, the last of which was from the office of the First Lady Patience Jonathan which has also gone viral with remixes.
Let us put things in the right perspective in order to able able to dis-cipher the intricate web of labyrinth. On the night of 15 April 2014, a group of Boko Haram insurgents attacked the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok and abducted over 200 girls. By the next day, the media was awash with stories of some of the girls having been located and freed from their kidnappers. Not quite long after the defense Ministry's gaffe was debunked and the tragedy set in that 200+ girls were still missing!
The next line of action was a blame game and conspiracy on the most outrageous issue the Jonathan administration may face before the 2015 general elections. Some decided to look at the issue from the prism of ethnicity rather than recognize that there was a brewing tornado. Sometimes these things just don't add up, it could just be the event happened to wake us up from our collective amnesia that Boko Haram does not recognise tribe, religion or race.
Many would argue that most of the kidnapped girls are infact Christians, but what of the Nyanya bomb blast and other actions against the general public? The Boko Haram mantra is just a distraction from their real intent; terror for the sake of terror. The Nigerian military ineffficiency has been exposed for what it is; a shallow starched cloth wearing force without power! Stories abound about the rot in the military and the politics of old Generals carting away huge sums of money meant for equipment.
The Nigerian military is only a reflection of the rot and corruption that has pervaded the entire fabric of the nation Nigeria. The oil curse and the contradiction experienced is also noticed in the Nigerian military; huge budget spending for defense, everyday recruitment exercises and happy peace keeping missions. yet we cannot secure our own territory. this lack of capacity to recognize danger was exposed when a Pastor could see the dangers of treating the group with levity but the military refused to see it as such. They would rather attend endless conferences and "secure" oil installations.
Just last year Bishop Ayo Oritshejafor was on the floor of the United States congress asking for the members to tag Boko Haram a terrorist organisation. Many Nigerians for fear of immigration difficulties and other inconveniences cried foul. The Nigerian government too joined in insisting that Boko Haram should not be tagged a terrorist organisation. Months later that faulty decision by both the US Government and Nigeria was upturned when they saw the speed with which the terrorist hit targets. Today, even the Chinese government and Canada are offering to help curb the menace before it gets to their doorsteps.
Following the abduction, the UN Security Council of which Nigeria is a member has also risen to demand for the immediate release of the girls. What they failed to do at the bidding of Pastor Ayo in the last two years they have turned around to do, though a bit late.
Now that these organisations and nations have branded Boko Haram a terrorist organisation, what next? Are we going to see the end of the violence that has almost brought Nigeria to its knees?
Are we also going to recognize the handicap of our military forces in battling the scourge of militia? These are some of the questions that run through the mind of all discerning citizens.
My prayer is that the government at all levels put aside their differences and tackle the challenge head-on.
Let us put things in the right perspective in order to able able to dis-cipher the intricate web of labyrinth. On the night of 15 April 2014, a group of Boko Haram insurgents attacked the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok and abducted over 200 girls. By the next day, the media was awash with stories of some of the girls having been located and freed from their kidnappers. Not quite long after the defense Ministry's gaffe was debunked and the tragedy set in that 200+ girls were still missing!
The next line of action was a blame game and conspiracy on the most outrageous issue the Jonathan administration may face before the 2015 general elections. Some decided to look at the issue from the prism of ethnicity rather than recognize that there was a brewing tornado. Sometimes these things just don't add up, it could just be the event happened to wake us up from our collective amnesia that Boko Haram does not recognise tribe, religion or race.
Many would argue that most of the kidnapped girls are infact Christians, but what of the Nyanya bomb blast and other actions against the general public? The Boko Haram mantra is just a distraction from their real intent; terror for the sake of terror. The Nigerian military ineffficiency has been exposed for what it is; a shallow starched cloth wearing force without power! Stories abound about the rot in the military and the politics of old Generals carting away huge sums of money meant for equipment.
The Nigerian military is only a reflection of the rot and corruption that has pervaded the entire fabric of the nation Nigeria. The oil curse and the contradiction experienced is also noticed in the Nigerian military; huge budget spending for defense, everyday recruitment exercises and happy peace keeping missions. yet we cannot secure our own territory. this lack of capacity to recognize danger was exposed when a Pastor could see the dangers of treating the group with levity but the military refused to see it as such. They would rather attend endless conferences and "secure" oil installations.
Just last year Bishop Ayo Oritshejafor was on the floor of the United States congress asking for the members to tag Boko Haram a terrorist organisation. Many Nigerians for fear of immigration difficulties and other inconveniences cried foul. The Nigerian government too joined in insisting that Boko Haram should not be tagged a terrorist organisation. Months later that faulty decision by both the US Government and Nigeria was upturned when they saw the speed with which the terrorist hit targets. Today, even the Chinese government and Canada are offering to help curb the menace before it gets to their doorsteps.
Following the abduction, the UN Security Council of which Nigeria is a member has also risen to demand for the immediate release of the girls. What they failed to do at the bidding of Pastor Ayo in the last two years they have turned around to do, though a bit late.
Now that these organisations and nations have branded Boko Haram a terrorist organisation, what next? Are we going to see the end of the violence that has almost brought Nigeria to its knees?
Are we also going to recognize the handicap of our military forces in battling the scourge of militia? These are some of the questions that run through the mind of all discerning citizens.
My prayer is that the government at all levels put aside their differences and tackle the challenge head-on.
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