500 Days in Captivity: Children amidst Full Blown Terror

Five hundred (500) Days in Captivity, I can only imagine, if I was one of the Chibok Girls. I remember what it was like to be their age my biggest worry at that time was to make sure I pass my exams and don’t repeat a class to make my parents proud. Like the Chibok Girls I was in a boarding school in Jos, Plateau State of Northern Nigeria and slept in a hostel just like theirs; the difference however, was that pangs of violence and evil was not directed towards students as we have it today.

Some of the Missing Chibok Girls

 As I ponder, I have so many questions than solutions; what would a teenage girl do when terror comes in the middle of the night to capture her? How do you have an understanding of what is happening? Who do cry to for help since you are all students? How do you plead your case to a group of people that does not recognise your humanity? A group who denies you your right to your family and friends; your right to an education and a future. At what point does your basic instinct to survive kicks in against monsters with guns and weapons, a child against full blown terror. To the few girls who escaped, I commend their bravery.

For the remaining majority of Chibok Girls still detained against their will. Whose whereabouts are unknown, wherever they may be, either sold (as stated by Boko Haram leader), tortured, terrified, raped and/or pregnant, compelled to be young mothers, used as human shield. Living everyday in unpredictable conditions reflects more than just bravery, but the highest form of resilience a person could have. To be living in ultimate horror as a female teenager, it is only expected if suicidal thoughts cross their minds.

The hope is that many if not all of them are still alive, and one wonders, what is their source of motivation, is it the shear instinct to survive that is keeping them alive? Or is it their hope that someday, someone, anyone somewhere would rescue them. Do they encourage each other (that is if they are in the same location)? Are they hoping the Government, any Government or the International Community is coming for them? Do they pray that the world would not be silent on them?

Chibok Girls paraded by Boko Haram to the world

            “…no biblical hell could ever be worse than a state of PERPETUAL INCONSEQUENCE.”
                                                                       Margaret F. Rosenthal

 Or somewhere between Day 30 to Day 500 (assuming), they have given up on humanity, on you and me, on the Government and International Community? Are they tired of waiting for freedom? Have they become Boko Haram sympathizers, assuming no one cares for them or is coming for them? Have they decided to survive by doing what is necessary, even if it means they become members of the terrorist group? What would you do if you were in their shoes? What would you do if your teenage daughter was captured for over 500 days?

Bring Back Our Girls Group Abuja

In conclusion, a commendation to a group of dedicated Nigerians who have dedicated themselves to make sure that the Chibok Girls are never forgotten. The Bring Back Our Girls Group keeps wake everyday between 4 – 6pm at the Unity Garden in centre of the nation’s Capital Abuja. The Chibok Girls may not be aware but there are people besides their family and community who care for them and will stand for them until their return. The Federal Government of Nigeria as well as the International Community has also rededicated their mission to finding the missing Chibok Girls as soon as possible. By the time the Chibok girls are found, however, would they have been saved? One too many days of hell are too much for even the toughest soul to bear, much less of a child, 500 Days in captivity, what would you do about it?

 #BringBackOurGirls

Believe in What You Want

Believe in yourself, believe in what you want, believe that you can have what you want. There is more than enough to go round for everyone. Whatever IT is you want is out there, waiting for you, finding it's way to you.
Hold onto wanting whatever it is you want, even when it seems you would not have it. Do not weaver in your wanting it. As long as you continue to want it, it will come no matter how long it takes.
Do not settle for less, you can keep busy with other things but never give up on that thing you want, because it is working its way to you. And while you think you want it, it wants you more. Sometimes by wanting it, you are simply responding to the call, to the attraction of it wanting you.

So do not go about short-changing yourself by lowering your standards and expectation. Because when you shortchange yourself, you will not enjoy or be truly happy with what you have.
However, if you stop wanting what you wanted,  you have the absolute right to change your mind. You are not a cast in stone,  and therefore don't feel guilty about changing your mind, nor should you feel the need to explain yourself to anyone unless you want to.
I would end by the famous quote " What You Want Wants You".

The Implications of Scotland's Independence Referendum

On the 18^th of September 2014, the world watched as Scotland made a historic attempt to vote for its independence from the United Kingdom, a union that has lasted over 300 years. Even though the “NO independence” camp won the vote with 55% margin, keeping Scotland in the union, it is an event that would change the political order in Scotland and the UK and also have an impact far beyond the borders of the UK.

The immediate implication of the referendum is that Scotland remains with the UK and does not breakaway, maintaining the status quo and avoiding the economic, political and financial challenges that would have been the realities of the Scottish people. Also ducking the adjustment the remaining member countries of the UK would have had to make and the chain reaction it would have had in the international system.

The Scottish citizens on the other hand have succeeded in achieving some changes even though they lost the vote for independence with 45%, they would be given more devolution legislation by January 2015 according to Prime Minister David Cameron (CNN), increasing Scotland power to govern itself. 45% is still a significant margin, enough to worry Westminster and make sure London is held responsible to keep its promises to Scotland.

However one thing is clear, the Scotland independence referendum was a civil, peaceful and a democratic process, one that demonstrates to the rest of the world an alternative and acceptable way to seek out the independence of a region in the 21^st century. This suggests that the Scottish independence referendum will open a Pandora’s Box in the international realm. It is true that in March earlier this year, a similar process took place in Ukraine when Crimea voted for its independence from Ukraine but had little or no effect in the political order beyond the boundaries of Ukraine, Russia and Crimea. This is so perhaps because Ukraine referred to the referendum as illegal and the west did not regard Crimea independence vote as legitimate, the media painted Crimea’s action in a negative and unappealing to the rest of the world.

Unlike the Crimea’s referendum, the Scottish poll has been accepted by the UK, the Western states and is shown in a positive light; the rest of the world would use this model to demand for independence, as we have seen in the current case of Catalonia in Spain, according to the website Catalonia votes, more than 80% of Catalans in opinion poll demands independence. Nations like Nigeria and the Biafra discussion among the citizens of the south-eastern Nigeria, those who seek that Biafra should still demand for its independence from the federal republic of Nigeria, could use this model that has been tested and approved by the western powers.

Finally, the question remains what happens when the authority refuses to give its people the permission to request said referendum of independence as seen in Spain, or refuses its people to have their independence even when it is obvious that they want it as seen in Crimea. Is a referendum of independence only acceptable or possible when the higher authority wins? We will continue to monitor how this plays out and as of Spain there is no evidence so far that the Spanish government intends to honour the request for this referendum. Whatever our take is on the Scotland independence referendum, it is now a model for orders to emulate and it has started an order that would challenge the present international order for years to come.