Chibok: Why this mediation must succeed

For two years we bemoaned their absence and stood in solidarity with their parents over their fate. Today we share a glimmer of hope that the Chibok schoolgirls are alive and well and maybe rescued alive. Of course our hope was rekindled by the video recently released by CNN, which showed 15 of them. We […]

For two years we bemoaned their absence and stood in solidarity with their parents over their fate. Today we share a glimmer of hope that the Chibok schoolgirls are alive and well and maybe rescued alive. Of course our hope was rekindled by the video recently released by CNN, which showed 15 of them. We know that the federal government had its reasons for refusing to release this video after it was reportedly passed on to its officials way back in January. But whatever those reason were, we, who stand with the grieving mothers of Chibok, desperately wish that the government will do more.
In particular we want them to embrace and encourage the mediation efforts reportedly being championed by a foreign government, to secure the release of these long-suffering teenagers. Our government must be ready to made concessions, where necessary, in order to get these girls their freedom. The priority is to re-unite them with their parents and any path that can lead to that must be pursued with vigour. The long-held refrain that there will be ‘no negotiating with terrorists’ has to be shelved aside in the interest of their world-renown victims. This government owes it to the Chibok school girls, their heart-broken parents and Nigerians at large, to make sure that this particular mediation effort succeeds.