Bring back our girls, but bring back Nigeria too

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi

Now it seems the world is waking up to the news of the senseless kidnapping of school girls in Chibok, in northern Nigeria. Not even the government of Nigeria showed any sensitivity to the issue, until protests from within and outside the country appear to have jolted it into some kind of action.

And typical of an African government, who all over the continent continue to be uncaring, aloof and ever greedy and selfish with often ineffective policy directions except in matters that they and their cronies benefit, the clueless Jonathan government as expected has reacted by setting up a committee. That’s what African governments do – they are experts in setting up committees to address issues they often are very much aware of or are responsible for just so they would be seen as doing something about it.

The legendary lethargy, cruelty and vulgarity of the Nigerian political class is not lost on anyone. It is the only country in Africa that I am aware of where people who steal public money spend and display that ill-gotten wealth openly. They steal and flaunt it.

The kidnapping of these girls is only a continuation of the sad state of affairs in Nigeria. The country itself has been kidnapped long ago and not many seem to have noticed. And the only way the country would start assuming any sense of state is when it is itself rescued! The kidnapping of these poor girls was because there doesn’t appear to be a state. Nigeria has lost to a large extent its statehood and must be rescued.

For the most populous country in Africa with one of the most richest oil fields in the world and now rebased as the continent’s largest economy to be in the quandary it finds itself today is unacceptable to say the least.

Nigeria is a nation lost to kidnappers parading as politicians and leaders. And as the world calls for the rescue of the girls, let’s all note that the country itself needs to be saved.

Bring back our girls. Bring back Nigeria.