The presidential elections: Now who is the hero? (And the Chibok girls!)

There is also the one-year anniversary of the over two hundred girls kidnapped at trapped in the Chibok forest; what fate?

Morountodun Joseph

It’s been a few days since General Muhammadu Buhari won the presidential election. With over two million votes difference, one can hardly call that a stroke of luck or sheer coincidence. Worthy of note is President Goodluck Jonathan’s early congratulatory call (message), I think it was gracious. However, what I do not agree with is the over glorification, or more like canonisation it is turning out to be. I mean, he did a good thing to concede defeat, but I do not think it was heroic. Here is what is heroic; going into the deep claws of terrorism without proper weaponry. What is also heroic is the eight months pregnant woman with a child strapped to her back, who defied the heavy rain and flood to make her vote count. She is her child’s hero! She was willing to risk it all today for a better Nigeria; for the future of her children.
So if you say gentlemanly, peaceable, civil or courteous, yes, but nothing heroic. I do not think anyone would think Obama a hero if he leaves the seat of power after a lost election. Or is it not their system of government we are modelling after (in theory maybe not in practice)? As a president who knows the laws, President Jonathan simply did what was right and commendable.
I think that as a people, we are deeply embedded in the disappointments and failures past governments have ridden us with. An occurrence that is remotely an act of normalcy excites us. We simply expect the worst from the authorities. For instance, if NEPA (PHCN) forgets to switch off the power in your area for 12 hours straight, you become excited, frightened even. Why? Because that might be an indication of 12 months of power shortage ahead.
Now, the story in this piece is not so much the politics involved before, during or after the elections, but the tenacity and admirable resilience of the man, Buhari. He might just be a man desperate for power, time will tell, but I do know I am inspired by him. What made him steadfast? Who spoke to him? What convinced him, or more importantly, who stood by him? Did someone say behind every successful man there is a good woman? Yeah, I thought so. Now, Mrs Buhari must have cried, had sleepless nights, countless prayer vigils, and several visits to the hospital to check raised blood pressure over the years, but she stood by him. Quite frankly I think the entire process, since 2003, weighed more on her (okay maybe equally). It’s easy to support a man after one strenuous attempt, two, with an effort. But with the third and fourth attempts, it takes a really strong woman not to break. And this is not a class governor’s contest. Each attempt takes years of strategising, being away, and sometimes being irrational and insensitive.
As women, sometimes we do not realise our strength. We often take ourselves for granted. They call us the weaker sex and we accept it in all sense of the word. We act weak; sometimes we pretend to be weak. Of course we love to be pampered and cared for. But hey, we need to focus on the positive things we can do to build ourselves and those around us first. Then the pampering will surely follow. I bet Mrs Buhari will be getting a lot of that pretty soon.
Women are ‘sheroes’!
P.S.: Mama Peace may have been a lot of things, but damn, she has been loyal since the days of Otueke!
Seized innocence: Remembering the Chibok girls one year later!
On the 14th of April, 2014, Nigeria, and indeed the whole world was shocked with the terrifying news that over 200 innocent teenage girls were abducted by gunmen at a Government Girls’ school in Chibok while they slept. The only crime these girls committed was that they sought education like every other human being. All they did was to seek a right to live, a right to opportunities, a right to fulfil their dreams, and above all, a right to change the world; their world. They wanted to be doctors and lawyers and engineers, they wanted freedom. They had lofty dreams but these dreams were short lived. Their aspirations were abruptly cut short by a callous act of terror.
One year down the line, they are still missing, their dreams are still shattered and their families are still in agony. The handful of girls that managed to escape may perhaps live with the trauma for the rest of their lives. It is unfortunate that in the trend of kidnaps and assaults surged by the Boko Haram terror group, women and girls have been easy victims. The purpose of law is not served if innocent citizens can be taken away from their school by a group of terrorists and are still in captivity 367 days later. . .
It is instructive to note that the only woman who came close to winning the just concluded governorship elections, Sen. Aisha Alhassan of Taraba State, is from the northern part of Nigeria. Were her dreams snatched away from her as a child, we would never have heard of her. Girl child education should never be taken for granted.
Many of us exile our emotions from the kidnap; it is easier for us to sleep that way. But may we be reminded that we were once young, probably attended boarding school, but we were kept. Our families were kept. We are still being kept, but we are not better. Let our hearts daily remember these innocent girls wherever they are. It is the least we can do. Let us say a word of prayer for our girls, and let us not forget their families, it is still fresh for them.
Some may have given up hope on the remaining 219 Chibok girls, or like me, some may have tried not to think too deeply about the trauma the families of the girls go through daily. It doesn’t change the fact that it is our nation’s reality. It is a reality for us all. They are daughters and sisters who have real lives. Optimism may be far-fetched, but the least we can do as human beings is to say a word of prayer for them wherever they are and whenever we remember them. It will go a long way. It will serve better than making mockery of those who make effort the best way they can.
May the Chibok girls return home!
May we never be victims of terror!
May peace and love abide with us always!
Mrs Morountodun Joseph (nee Obafemi) is a doctoral student of the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos.