As President Muhammadu Buhari, the commander-in-chief of the Nigerian
ArmedForces, moves from one state to another, campaigning for a second
term despite nearlyfour years in office which has been widely adjudged a
horrendous failure, a15-year old, tender, innocent girl called Leah
Sharibu remains a hapless, pathetic,traumatized captive of Boko Haram,
obviously, under the most dehumanising conditions.Given what has,
reportedly, been the horrible experiences of young, beautifulgirls like
her who have been captured by these terrorists, one is really scaredto
imagine what Leah might have been subjected to for nearly one year now.
Mostpainful is that she hardly gets mentioned again these days by those
whose jobit is to rescue and bring her home!
HasNigeria forgotten her then? Has President Buhari who may have Leah’s
age mates asgrandchildren forgotten her? Has he given up hope of ever
bringing her home againto her heartbroken parents? What happened to the
president’s very loud promiseto rescue her quickly? Or even his firm
pledge during the campaigns for hisfirst term that he would end the Boko
Haram menace in six months and ensure thefreedom of all their captives?
What did he have in mind to do when he wasmaking these promises? Has he
executed those plans and what was the result? Orwas he merely dropping the
promises (just to win the election) which he probablyno longer remembers,
let alone making any attempts to fulfil?
Leah was among the 110students of the Government Girls’ Science and
Technical College,Dapchi, Yobe State, abducted by Boko Haram terrorists on
February 19, 2018. Shewas only 14. When in March news broke thatthe
terrorists had brought back the girls with the same fanfare they took
themaway like kids going on an excursion, Leah’s parents rejoiced like the
otherparents, and rushed down to embrace their beloved child and take her
home. Buton discovering that her child was not released with her
classmates, Leah’smother, Rebecca Sharibu, fainted. The shock was too much
for her.
Speaking of her experiencelater, she said, weeping profusely: “My heart
was broken when I searchedthrough the released girls and could not set my
eyes on my dear daughter,Leah”.
Leah’s equally traumatizedfather, Nathaniel Sharibu, could only
sorrowfully plead that serious effort bedeployed to bring his daughter
back: “Nigeria must do all withinits powers to bring back my daughter the
same way they did to others.” Afternearly one year and no heartwarming
news had come in about his beloveddaughter, the only girl in the family,
his conclusion would probably be that hemerely sang ballads to the deaf!
Theterrorists had refused to release Leah because she is a Christian and
hadrefused to renounce her faith and convert to Islam as demanded by
theterrorists. That was her offence which she has paid dearly for. Her
heart musthave bled as she watched the other girls go home, but she
remained firm in herresolve not to trade her faith with her freedom. If
she is still alive (and webelieve she is), there is no doubt that she is
still firm and unbending abouther faith.
Howdoes Leah see Nigeria and her leaders today? An American boy would look
youstraight in the face and declare that he is ready to die for America
any day,anywhere, and he means every word he uttered. Same goes for youths
from severalother countries. Why? They know very well that should any of
them be in troubleany day or anywhere, their country would spare no
resources and efforts torescue them. They also trust in the ability of
their country to get them out ofharm’s way. Their leaders are patriotic
and humane and sincerely love and carefor the people they are governing.
They are not the callous and selfish type whoonly remember the likes of
Leah when they want to use their predicament toscore cheap political
points.
On Saturday, June 23, 2018, a young football teamin Thailand, made up of
12 boys between the ages of 11and 16, went missing with their coach in a
Northern Thailandcave. The world stood in awe as their country went all
out to trace and bringthem home. Nobody bothered to ask why they embarked
on such an adventure. Thatwas no longer necessary. The most important
thing was their safety. The wholecountry and their leaders united in their
resolve to rescue the boys and gavethemselves no rest until they were
found and brought back to safety. Thededication and concern of the Thai
leaders aroused the sympathy of the worldwhich moved in to help.
Insaner countries, the worsening insecurity in the land and the fact that
many ofour citizens are either in captivity or brutally displaced are
enough reasons forGen Buhari to excuse himself from a second term contest.
But in these parts,people seek power not to serve the citizenry, but
largely to gratify some self-servinginterests. So, even if they run the
country completely aground, they would stillseek another term in order to
return to play the undertaker. The verdict of history holds no attraction
forthem.
So,as Buhari is campaigning for a second term, Leah’s hot tears continue
to flow.Each day, she looks out for the rescue team that is yet to even
take off. Senseof loneliness and abandonment are her daily sources of
torments. May be, our leaders are wishing that we shouldforget Leah and
move on – like they seem to have done to the Chibok girls. Afterdeftly
deploying their horrible plight to great effect to win the election in
2015,they are yet demonstrate that they possess the capacity to bring them
home.
AsBoko Haram captures more communities, all we hear is INEC’s assurances
that itwill still conduct elections in those areas. That is what is
important to them,not necessarily the liberation of the people whose lands
have been violated andannexed. In some of the places, aid agencies are no
longer able to access thepeople trapped here and there with food and
medical supplies. Poorly motivatedand ill-equipped soldiers are being
killed with chilling frequency by betterarmed terrorists. The country
under a retired general seems to haverelinquished the monopoly it ought to
exercise over the instruments of violenceand coercion. Nigerians have,
therefore, become lame ducks before bandits who brazenlyabduct, kill and
render them homeless daily with utmost impunity – as ifgovernment is on
recess. It is that bad.
*Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye is a Columnist andMember, Editorial Board, Daily
Independent newspaper (scruples2006@yahoo.com)®