THINGS JUST GETTING MISSING NOW IT’S THE GIRLS……………

                                                          President Goodluck Jonathan

By Retlaw Matatu Matorwa

Few Months ago Malaysian Airline vanished without a trace and hopes of finding the vessel have since faded. In Africa, US$20 million and US$ 49.9 million of oil money revenue was reported missing under mysterious circumstances by the Governor of the Federal Reserve Bank of Nigeria. At the same time,President Goodluck Jonathan's daughter hits media headlines for thanking guests with a personalized golden iphone for attending their wedding ceremony. We can accept that money, airplanes can vanish, its either we can make more money and buy more airplanes, President GoodLuck Jonathan can get away with spoiling his family, friends and in-laws at the expense of the suffering masses, BUT  for 276 African girls to disappear without a trace on his clock is unacceptable. We want our Girls back!

It is now more than three weeks after the abduction of 276 Girls from Chibok, Government Secondary School in the Northern part of Nigeria by Boko Horam. Boko Haram is believed to be an Islamic terrorist group linked to Al-quaeda. In a broadcasted video message, the militia group claimed responsibility and threatened to sell the young girls for marriage according to the command and wills of Allah.To date, there is no clue with regards to the whereabouts of the abducted girls.

Time is ticking and considering how long the Federal Government of Nigeria is taking, it’s evident they are faced with serious strategic and capacity issues. Nigerians and people world over are upbeat on the lack of urgency and expediency in finding the abducted girls. Parents in a desperate bid had to folk out personal resources to fuel motorbikes in an attempt to search for their children. There was no budget for an immediate response.

In a country with high rates of insurgency and terrorism a disaster and crisis handling strategy is imperative. The government is being criticized for its failure to keep the affected families updated on progress or lack of it. To date the Nigerian Government is yet to establish a crisis center to manage the situation.

The rise of militia groups and acts terrorism in Nigeria is of serious concern. Of recent arbitrary killings, religious persecutions, abductions and kidnapping not to mention scores of pupils shot has characterized the country’s landscape. Such a situation can affect the whole region given the position Nigeria holds in the political and economic arena of ECOWAS and Africa.

From a regional perspective, Nigeria’s destabilization affects the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Africa as a whole. Nigeria is the linchpin of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).  Over 50% of the ECOWAS populations live in Nigeria.  Nigeria's GDP is larger than that of the combined GDP of all the other ECOWAS states put together.  Nigeria accounts for the lionshare of the annual ECOWAS budget (31%; relative to only 12.6% by the second highest contributor- Cote d'Ivoire), as well as of the ECOWAS Fund (32% relative to only 13% by Cote d'Ivoire). From these facts, Nigeria is a strategic powerhouse.

So why is Africa not treating this as an emergency both the abduction and the Nigerian crisis? Why is Africa not doing anything to aid Nigeria, it appears the country is failing to cope. How on earth can 276 girls go missing more than three weeks and the region does not come up with a coordinated response for rescue? It is sad, that Jonathan Goodluck had to appeal for assistance from Britain, France and United States of America and yet we have Economic Community of West African States Momitoring Group (ECOMOG) organ  responsible for defense  and African Union. For African Union does this not warrant an emergency meeting to strategies a response? At what point do we start talking of a regional response?

 Are our priorities people centered, African leaders ganged up on the International Criminal Court calling for an emergency hearing, to garner support for the Court to withdraw charges aganist President Uhuru Kenyatta and his vice William Ruto for alledged crimes against humanity. Are these innocent souls not worth more than two politicians, whose quest for power ended in mass killings?

It is argued; fighting terrorism is a costly exercise which Africa may not affords, Alas! It is in Africa where politicians and the affluent society live the America dream and drive expensive Mercedes, whose cost on personal security and defense exceed a ministerial department, where billions of dollars are lost through corruption and self aggrandizement and millions of dollars invested to rig elections and subvert the wills of our people. Put together our priorities are misplaced that’s all. We can no longer afford protecting our own. 

NOW America is in Nigeria to fix our own problems. All this, in the presence of African Union, ECOWAS and other Regional bodies who spends billions of dollars of African taxpayer’s money in urinary conferences and discussing poverty having a three course meal. The irony of it - African states claim independence and sovereignty, calling for non- interferenc from the west. When west raises concern over abusing the rights of your own people you cry foul claiming the right to self determination of your people BUT Africa cannot put resources to find their own children- instead seeking help from the same states accused of mingling in their affairs.  Africa is dismally failing to deal with its problems. Imagine failing to protect and later on find your own children lost within your compound. Africa seriously?

For Nigerians, the precedence set by President Goodluck Jonathan administration  serves to indicate the country has a crisis management challenge. Furthermore, Nigerians are not safe; there is no protection at all for ordinary citizens. Nigerians should demand their right to be protected and raise  children in a safer environment.

African governments should act and stop assuming observer status in such situations even military intervention maybe required in this case. However, there is need for a dual approach to deal with the current plight of the girls and long term response to interrogate the issues behind these atrocities. Boko Haram is not an army, these are people living in communities who exploit poverty to recruit unemployed youth and indoctrinate them. The root of the problem needs to be addressed too. 
Yes, the girls need to be freed safely.

Anyway that’s Just my thinking

Black September