Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau
*Odinkalu berates Education ministry officials for locking out protesters, says hope should be kept alive
By Damilola Oyedele and Adebiyi Adedapo in Abuja
The Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Viola Onwuliri on Tuesday shunned school girls protesting the inability of the government to rescue the 219 Chibok schoolgirls one year after they were abducted from their school in Borno state.
THISDAY gathered that the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group had formally notified the ministry of its plans to bring the schoolgirls to meet with the ministers as part of activities to mark the anniversary of the abduction which drew local and international outrage.
The secondary schoolgirls and some primary schoolgirls drawn from different schools across the Federal Capital Territory marched from the Unity Fountain to the Federal Ministry of Education. They bore placards bearing the names of each of the missing school girls.
The Chairman of the Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu walked with the BBOG leaders, alongside some human rights activists. Former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, who is one of prominent leaders of BBOG group was conspicuously absent.
Officers of the Nigeria Police and Federal Road Safety Commission were on ground to ensure security and orderliness.
Officers of the Nigeria Police and Federal Road Safety Commission were on ground to ensure security and orderliness.
The Ministers were away from the Ministry when the girls arrived there at 11.30am Tuesday morning. It was obvious that there were no plans to receive them as the gate was locked to keep them out for over 25 minutes.
A visibly ruffled Director, who identified herself as Director of Planning, Mrs. Olutoun later came out and tried to address the girls through the gates.
This drew the ire of Odinkalu who insisted that the gates cannot be shut against the students as they were Nigerian citizens. The leader of girls, Miss Maryam Ahmed also insisted they would not speak from outside the gates.
As the gates were opened, the Director of Human Resources, Mr. Mohammed Bello, who also introduced himself as the Acting Permanent Secretary received the protesters.
Fielding questions from the girls, Bello gave the assurance that the government was doing its best through the security agencies to ensure that girls are rescued and returned safely to their parents.
“We are concerned with anything that has to do with girls’ education, we are with you and will give you all the necessary support to ensure that the girls are found…if you have been following the happenings in that last three weeks, you will know that sooner than later, we will get the girls back,” he said.
Bello recalled that almost all the schools in the North East region had to be shut down at some point, while the government relocated students to safer areas.
Odinkalu, who noted that he was there as a parent, urged Nigerians to keep hope alive for the missing girls, as there is no evidence that they are dead.
Odinkalu, who noted that he was there as a parent, urged Nigerians to keep hope alive for the missing girls, as there is no evidence that they are dead.
He however berated the officials of the Education Ministry for the shoddy manner in which the protesting students were received.
“This is an anniversary that no parent would wish for, not even for enemies. When we came, we were locked out and people were afraid to see us. This is the Federal Republic of Nigeria and it is this country that unites us. The girls were abducted because they choose to write the exam in a certain part of the country. The only reason my child was not abducted was because he took the exam in another part of the country,” he said.
“Nigeria is changing, it is important for public officers to live up to their responsibilities. It is utterly offensive for public officers to lock us out of this building. We pay for this building. The next time we come here, receive us as Nigerians, receive these children as your children, because one day you would leave this office and you will reap what you have sown, the seed of irresponsibility. Never again should any child have to go through what these children are going through,or what their parents are going through,” Odinkalu added.