A Gripping Testimony

Above is a picture of the recently released 82 Chibok girls with the President of Nigeria. I find it shocking that some doubting Thomas's are still out there claiming fervently that this whole  missing #ChibokGirls saga is a scam and a ruse, despite all the evidences shown. I wonder how such reprobated minds function and then I say a prayer for them not to experience such anguish the same way the parents of these girls have.

I found the italicised article below on a friend's Facebook page, which he shared. It was written by a Jack Vince, a freelance journalist in the Northern part of Nigeria.

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In December 2015, Femi Owolabi and I visited Chibok town as journalists. While we were going about our business, we interviewed some parents of the missing Chibok school girls. I made a facebook update thereafter:

"Have you seen the inscription of despair, fear, disappointment and regret all rolled into a ball of sorrow on one woman's face? Not just any woman but a mother who lost a child; not to the cold hands of death, but to a marauding band of despotic and heartless terrorists? It is even more heartbreaking considering the bond between a mother and her last-born child. AUTA, as we call last-born children in the north. And now the mother is made to carry the burden of hope and despair in her heart not for a few months in the event of death, but for every second of every minute, every minute of every hour, every hour of every day and every day of the rest of her life since the abduction of her precious last-born child. 

Mama Rebecca Takai Nkeki mother of Hauwa Nkeki Takai, one of the 219 missing Chibok school girls has been bearing this pain and torture every day since that fateful day of April 14, 2014, over a year ago today, when her daughter and the other missing school girls were abducted by members of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents into the Sambisa forest. 

"Hauwa used to be a kind, respectful and hardworking girl", her mother recalled. 

In a tear-inducing and emotion-ladened voice, Mama Rebecca Takai Nkeki said, 

"Anytime I pick up the broom to sweep the floor of the house, I remember that my daughter would have been the one doing it. She loved working. I sweep the floor myself everyday and everyday the memories of my child fill me with tears. Now I have high blood pressure", at this point, she broke down in tears forcing the same emotion in Femi and I. 

"I keep to myself a lot", Mr Takai Nkeki, father of the the abducted Hauwa Nkeki, said. "I get broken down emotionally anytime I see children, her mate, moving around", he added. 

Both parents are hopeful that Hauwa would come back to them someday. The onus now lies with the government and all relevant stakeholders to do the needful in ensuring that all the girls return to their parents safe and alive.

Selah!"

82 of the missing Chibok school girls were released yesterday after a negotiation between the government and the insurgents. HAUWA N. TAKAI is number 57 on the list.

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If you read the above and still doubt the authenticity of these reports on the #ChibokGirls, then I strongly bid you farewell as you wallow in sheer nefarious ignorance.

I'm mighty glad about these girls return and I sincerely hope he government has strong rehabilitation and counselling plans in place for them and their families. I pray that the rest of them and others still in Boko Haram's custody would regain heir freedom soon.