Almost 10 years after 276 female students were taken from Government Secondary School in Chibok, families of the remaining 87 captives are still hopeful that they will be freed and return to the community.
Allen Manasseh, spokesperson of the affected community, revealed this during the 70th birthday celebration of Pastor Chinedu Ezekwesili, husband of former Education Minister, Oby, at a virtual event on Wednesday.
This update comes 10 years after 276 students of Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents on April 14, 2014.
However, 57 of the schoolgirls managed to escape, mainly by jumping from the moving trucks and running into the bushes.
The abduction caused anger from local and international media, with political leaders and activists pressuring former President Goodluck Jonathan to rescue the girls and providing support and intelligence.
The pressure continued even after Jonathan’s administration.
Manasseh said that there has been no news about the remaining 87 schoolgirls.
He said, “I came across them (The Ezekwesilis) during the Chibok girls' abduction. I'm sure that when I mention Chibok girls, many of you understand the sacrifices of this amazing family to our community. If not for them, the name Chibok wouldn't have gained attention when we lost over 276 Chibok girls. This family has given up their comfort and endured ridicule because they supported us.
“At some points, we lost all hope. Sometimes we didn’t even know what to say or do. But Pastor ‘Nedu Ezekwesili would look at us and wait until we had expressed all our frustration before encouraging us in a way that made us feel hopeful again and turn to God. That hope encouraged us to believe again that one day these girls (Chibok) would be brought back.
“Today, I’m happy to say that because of the sacrifices of this family and many others out there, we have found over 132 of these Chibok girls. We are still waiting for 87 of them to come back. If you've been following what's happening in Abuja, you'll know that sometimes we say something, and then we disappear. But these people were with us. They have supported us with lawyers, and they have used their family resources to keep fighting for us for 10 years.”
Rinu Oduala, a political activist and one of the leaders of the 2020 #EndSARS campaign, also praised the celebrant and his wife, who she described as selfless individuals.
“Although I haven't met him in person, I've been fortunate to know him through Mummy Ezekwesili. I want to thank you on her behalf for being such an amazing husband and father. Thank you for being the sunshine in their lives because their lights also shine into the lives of other people like me.
“Some of us you haven’t met. But you are our father. You have made sure that we are not without a father or mother. Thank you for the outstanding life you have instilled in us in numerous ways,” she said.
Former Head of Communications at the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Okey Ikechukwu, also expressed similar feelings when he described the cleric as one of the most modest and resilient individuals he has ever encountered.
He mentioned, “My first interaction with him was when madam was the minister of education. Three things stood out for me. A man has admirable respect for the woman he loves and respects. Every time we came to the house for meetings that should take place in the ministry, everything was arranged and he never obstructed. However, his self-respect remained intact.
“He is one of the few pastors I consider a genuine man of God. He has strength of character, authentic simplicity; he is not extravagant and does not try to impress anybody. He was living and still lives as someone who has genuine concern for the well-being of people who come into contact with him.”
Responding to the praise, Ezekwesili said he felt like an outsider listening to all the accolades given in his honor.
