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| Picture Source: Twitter |
Growing up, there was a Yoruba saying that I never quite understood until now. It goes like: "a dead child is better than a missing child". I always wondered how one could cope with losing a child to death. I mean, death is so final, so cold and brutal. I never really dwelled on the missing child part of that saying because in my innocent mind, children can't just go missing. Children are pure breaths of fresh air who bring succor to homes and also everywhere they go to with their innocence and purity. Children can't just go missing, or so I thought until I was slapped in the face by the nefarious and emboldened Boko Haram last year.
I couldn't celebrate the last Children's Day because my heart was really heavy and rather I took to writing this post and pouring my heart out. It was the 43rd day that the girls had been snatched away. Today marks the 365th day and yet these poor girls are not yet back. Their only seeming crime was their quest for education.
I have tried to make sense of the kidnapping and of our governments' lackadaisical attitude towards bringing these girls back. I have tried to reason out why we haven't received enough international help in getting at least one of these girls back. My heart breaks and I have struggled to write a post about this for about a week now but I just couldn't put the pain and hurt in my heart into words.
In January, I wrote a post about them which I will re-post below. It's all I've got for now because I honestly can't get away from how traumatizing and utterly heartbreaking this kidnap has been to the families directly involved.
Where are our boys?
How long shall we continue to hope?
How long shall we await their return?
Why haven't they been brought back?
Why is it so hard to bring them home?
What could their parents' be going through?
What are the fates of those in captivity?
Who will lead the way to retrieve our captives?
Who will make us smile again?
Please, we beg Thee to #BringBackOurGirls
Touching, very touching but i fear these girls are far gone. I pray this new despensation will bring an end to the insurgence.
ReplyDeleteI can't stop hoping for a miracle for them. In whatever state, they should come back. We will rehabilitate and counsel them. :( I pray so too.
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