After the abduction of the Chibok girls, I was one of those who called on Mr. President to pick up his phone and call a few of the parents of the victims, and offer his encouragement, support and a personal assurance that the federal government stands with them and shall do everything possible to bring those girls home safely. I reasoned that when the President makes that call, the parents will see the struggle as that between we and them, the we being the parents, the victims, the federal government and Nigerians, while the them will be the terrorists of Boko Haram. I also suggested, and so did a number of people, that Mr. President meets with some of these distraught parents. After it was revealed that President Obama personally called the parents of a US Army deserter who was held hostage by the Taliban for years to personally inform them that their son was coming home, I still called on Mr. President to make contact with the Chibok parents and seize the initiative from the terrorists. That call would have proven invaluable to the confused parents who will be wondering whether they are all alone, and considering where their help shall come from. Instead of seeing a bunch of women under the aegis of #Bringbackourgirls as their only support, they would have been comforted and strengthened that the Federal Government stands with them in their time of grief. Why else will the President personally call them. It is a great privilege to receive a personal telephone call from a countrys President and the message it sends is resounding and unmistakable. Naturally, some people who think that patriotism means telling the King that his robes are the most beautiful on the face of the earth even when he was naked jumped in and said the President should do know such thing. The news now is not that a 17 year old Pakistani girl visited Nigeria last week, and prevailed on Mr. President to meet with those parents. The news is that the parents actually shunned him and turned down his invitation. How does that sound, how does that read, and how does that look? Has nations President ever received such an embarrassment? To make matters worse, Doyin Okupe is blaming the #Bringbackourgirls campaigners for this colossal scandal. Mr. President should listen more to those who wish him well, and desire that he becomes far better than his predecessors. It doesnt give me joy to see him waltz from one misstep to another.
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 08:32:11 +0000
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