• Main News
  • About Us
  • Contact
Premium Times Opinion
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
  • Home
  • Democracy and Governance
    • Bámidélé Upfront
    • Jibrin Ibrahim
    • Okey Ndibe
  • Economy
    • Ifeanyi Uddin
  • Issues of the Day
    • Adeolu Ademoyo
    • Aribisala on Tuesday
    • Dele Agekameh
    • Pius Adesanmi
  • Politics
    • Ebeneezer Obadare
    • Femi Fani-Kayode
    • Garba Shehu
    • Hannatu Musawa
    • Zainab Suleiman Okino
  • Guest Columns
  • Faith
    • Article of Faith
    • Sunday Ogidigbo
    • Friday Sermon
    • Elevated Sight
  • Home
  • Democracy and Governance
    • Bámidélé Upfront
    • Jibrin Ibrahim
    • Okey Ndibe
  • Economy
    • Ifeanyi Uddin
  • Issues of the Day
    • Adeolu Ademoyo
    • Aribisala on Tuesday
    • Dele Agekameh
    • Pius Adesanmi
  • Politics
    • Ebeneezer Obadare
    • Femi Fani-Kayode
    • Garba Shehu
    • Hannatu Musawa
    • Zainab Suleiman Okino
  • Guest Columns
  • Faith
    • Article of Faith
    • Sunday Ogidigbo
    • Friday Sermon
    • Elevated Sight
No Result
View All Result
Premium Times Opinion
Home Opinion

Imagine If Leah Sharibu Was A Nigerian President’s Daughter, By Olabisi Deji-Folutile

by Premium Times
January 30, 2020
6 min read
0

Is it possible for a child of any sitting Nigerian president to suffer the fate of Leah? The federal government will leave no stone unturned in its bid to rescue the president’s child. If it means deploying the entire nation’s military power to fight the Boko Haram sect or spending all the money in the country’s treasury to free the child, the Nigerian government would do it.


On November 27, 2000, 10-year-old Damilola Taylor died on the streets of South London. Damilola was on his way home from Peckham library when he was stabbed in the leg with broken glass by two brothers. He was later found in a condemned building a few yards to his home. For six years, the British justice system searched for Damilola’s killers. In what could be described as a national quest for justice, even career criminals agreed to testify against suspects in the case. Eventually, Danny and Ricky Preddie were convicted for Damilola’s murder. Till date, the murder is seen by many as one of the most investigated by the U.K. police.

Who was Damilola Taylor and why was his case so special to the British government? Damilola was a little child born and bred in Nigeria. He had barely stayed six months in the U.K. before his murder. He relocated to London with his parents in the summer of 2000, only to be killed in November of the same year.

Why should anyone evoke the memory of a promising child whose life ended in tragedy almost 20 years after his death? Sadly, it is for the unwholesome reason of making a comparison of the value attached to the life of a Nigerian child in a foreign land and the worth of a child in the eyes of the Nigerian government. Damilola was killed in another man’s country and his death shook the entire nation. Here in Nigeria, another child called Leah Sharibu, though alive, is being abandoned in the cruel hands of Boko Haram insurgents by the Nigerian government, which has all the power to release her.

I guess the British government would have done everything within its power to save Damilola if offered the opportunity. Unfortunately, in the case of Leah, she is alive. What is more, the Nigerian government knows where she is. The federal government knows her abductors. It even negotiated the release of her schoolmates about two years ago. Government is in constant touch with her abductors. They say this all the time. Her abductors also release videos of her when they like, to prove that she is alive and boast of their next action against her. Yet, the Nigerian government appears too weak to do anything about her situation.

Leah is one of the 110 girls abducted by the Boko Haram insurgents during a raid on a school in Dapchi, Yobe State, on February 19, 2018. Following a deal between the government and the terrorists, the sect released 104 girls, five others were said to have died in captivity. They held on to Leah for being a Christian. It was learnt that the terrorists held on to Leah because she refused to rescind her Christian faith. Leah was 14 years at the time of her abduction. Almost two years after, news from the Boko Haram camp is that Leah has been delivered of a baby boy, after being forcefully married to the sect’s commandant.
How else can a nation fail a child? Getting a girl-child to be in school in the North-East, where Leah was abducted, is a herculean task on its own. The region is known to encourage child marriage. Nigeria has one of the highest child marriage prevalence rates in the world, with almost half the population of girls in some areas being married off before age 18. According to the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), the number of Nigerian girls married before their 18th birthday is as high as 58.2 per cent. The child marriage prevalence in the North-East is as high as 88 per cent, according to the Save the Children Resource Centre. What this suggests is that Leah and her schoolmates are some of the few girls in the region fortunate enough to be in school and not married off as underage girls. For a government still struggling to get the girl-child educated to be so careless in protecting the few ones that are in school to the extent that they could be kidnapped in a public school, leaves much to be desired.

What is the logic behind keeping Leah in the abductors’ den? If the federal government could rescue other Dapchi girls, why has it not rescued Leah? Has the Nigerian government totally surrendered to terrorists? Are Nigerian leaders totally insensitive or do they choose what to be sensitive about? Can anyone imagine what the situation would have been if Leah Sharibu were to be the child of a sitting Nigerian president. Would she still be in captivity? I remember when President Muhammadu Buhari’s son, Yusuf, was involved in a ghastly power bike accident that left him with a head injury and broken limb. It was as if the whole nation was thrown into mourning. Government officials practically kept vigil at the hospital where Yusuf was kept, praying earnestly for his survival. Despite the success of the surgery performed to save his life in Nigeria, Yusuf was nonetheless flown abroad to access better health care and services.

Is it wrong for Obasanjo and Buhari to be protective over their children? Absolutely not! It is normal and indeed natural for parents to be sensitive and caring where the health and wellbeing of their children are concerned. Where I however have problem with Nigerian leaders is when they are indifferent to the welfare and wellbeing of other people that they are constitutionally empowered to protect.


Some people can still remember the notorious cross border bandit, Amani Tidjani, who terrorised Nigerians during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. It was a terrible situation. Nigeria’s security agencies gave the nation the impression that he was invincible until one day in 2003 when President Obasanjo’s daughter, Iyabo’s convoy, was attacked by Tidjani and his men. That was the day of salvation of Nigerians. Obasanjo swiftly closed the Nigerian-Benin border and told Mathew Kerekou, the Beninois president that the border would not be opened until Tidjani was released to Nigeria. All of a sudden, the Nigerian police, immigration, customs and everybody went into action and Tidjani was arrested in a matter of days.

Is it wrong for Obasanjo and Buhari to be protective over their children? Absolutely not! It is normal and indeed natural for parents to be sensitive and caring where the health and wellbeing of their children are concerned. Where I however have problem with Nigerian leaders is when they are indifferent to the welfare and wellbeing of other people that they are constitutionally empowered to protect. Let’s face it. Is it possible for a child of any sitting Nigerian president to suffer the fate of Leah? The federal government will leave no stone unturned in its bid to rescue the president’s child. If it means deploying the entire nation’s military power to fight the Boko Haram sect or spending all the money in the country’s treasury to free the child, the Nigerian government would do it.

This is the crux of the matter. Until leadership is taken as a responsibility towards the entire population, Nigeria will continue to wallow in the ocean of mediocrity. Truth be told, Nigerian leaders are selfish. The evidence is everywhere. They don’t care about the quality of education at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels because their children don’t attend these schools. They send their children to the best institutions abroad and still have the audacity to tell us to our face that they do so because they can afford it. You then wonder where they get the money from when the official salary of a Nigerian president is not even up to N5 million per month.

Nigerian leaders owe the people the duty to care, protect and provide basic amenities for them. Securing the lives of Nigerians and protecting the nation’s territorial integrity is government’s primary responsibility. It is the inalienable right of Nigerians to have access to good infrastructural facilities, hospitals and schools in a secured environment.


Every responsible government protects the lives of their citizenry. That is partly why it took the British government six years to convict the boys responsible for Damilola’s death to act as deterrence to others. Leah has no business being in Boko Haram’s enclave, let alone being forcefully married and nursing a baby for a terrorist. This is government failure at the highest level. In sane climes, citizens can force a president to resign over this issue.

Nigerian leaders owe the people the duty to care, protect and provide basic amenities for them. Securing the lives of Nigerians and protecting the nation’s territorial integrity is government’s primary responsibility. It is the inalienable right of Nigerians to have access to good infrastructural facilities, hospitals and schools in a secured environment. These things are not favours. They are the duties that Nigerian leaders are paid to do. These functions are constitutionally assigned. Whoever fails to perform them is not fit to be in a leadership position. It is unacceptable for Nigerian leaders to continue to be lackadaisical about things that affect the common man’s welfare and at the same time feel comfortable deploying the nation’s resources in taking care of themselves and their families. President Buhari should bring back Leah Sharibu now.

Olabisi Deji-Folutile is a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors. Email: bisideji@yahoo.co.uk.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Print
  • More
  • Pocket
  • Share on Tumblr

Related

Previous Post

Femi Adesina: Raconteur of A Spurious Deep State Narrative, By David Dimas

Next Post

Nigeria Is Bigger Than Buhari, By Majeed Dahiru

Related Posts

The Race Against Cybercrimes In Nigeria, By Inyene Ibanga
Opinion

Creating A Viable Innovative Ecosystem in Nigeria, By Inyene Ibanga

January 26, 2021
#EndSARS and the Rise of A New Nigeria, By Dakuku Peterside
Columns

Nigeria: COVID-19 Re-loaded, By Dakuku Peterside

January 25, 2021
Eric Teniola
Opinion

Nigeria: the Sad Return To ‘Broken’ Chains, By Eric Teniola

January 25, 2021
Biafra: 50 Years After and the Crisis of Igbo Leadership, By Osmund Agbo
Opinion

The Imperative of Restructuring Nigeria, By John Nnia Nwodo

January 25, 2021
Akinwunmi Adesina: Africa’s Spotless Son, By Wole Olaoye
Opinion

Democratisation of Insecurity, By Wole Olaoye

January 24, 2021
Jega, You Saved Nigeria from Another Coup, By Simon Imobo-Tswam
Opinion

Restructuring In Nigeria: Why? How? When?, By Attahiru M. Jega

January 25, 2021
Next Post
Boko Haram Insurgency: A Violent Conflict Between Faith and Citizenship, By Majeed Dahiru

Nigeria Is Bigger Than Buhari, By Majeed Dahiru

Seeking Economic and Monetary Sovereignty For ECOWAS, By Intellectuals From Africa and Its Diaspora

Seeking Economic and Monetary Sovereignty For ECOWAS, By Intellectuals From Africa and Its Diaspora

Editorial

  • EDITORIAL: Unearthing the Cogent Lessons In the NESG-CBN Economic Policy Imbroglio

    EDITORIAL: Unearthing the Cogent Lessons In the NESG-CBN Economic Policy Imbroglio

  • EDITORIAL: COVID-19: Calling On Nigeria’s Billionaires and Religious Leaders To Step Up

    EDITORIAL: COVID-19: Calling On Nigeria’s Billionaires and Religious Leaders To Step Up

  • EDITORIAL: Bichi Must Go; Buhari Must Halt Slide Into Despotism

    EDITORIAL: Bichi Must Go; Buhari Must Halt Slide Into Despotism

  • EDITORIAL: The Flaws In Governor Emefiele’s Five-Year Plan For Central Bank of Nigeria

    EDITORIAL: The Flaws In Governor Emefiele’s Five-Year Plan For Central Bank of Nigeria

  • EDITORIAL: President Buhari Must Release Sowore Now!

    EDITORIAL: President Buhari Must Release Sowore Now!

Subscribe to our Opinion articles via email

Enter your email address to get notifications of new opinion articles as they are published.

Join 526,505 other subscribers

Most Popular

  • Restructuring In Nigeria: Why? How? When?, By Attahiru M. Jega
    Restructuring In Nigeria: Why? How? When?, By Attahiru M. Jega
  • Sunday Igboho and the Spirit of Ogbori Elemoso, By Festus Adedayo
    Sunday Igboho and the Spirit of Ogbori Elemoso, By Festus Adedayo
  • Time To Have More Gumis In Society: When Action Speaks Louder Than Words, By Umar Yakubu
    Time To Have More Gumis In Society: When Action Speaks Louder Than Words, By Umar Yakubu
  • Of Toyin Falola, African Scholars and the Western Academy, By Mohammed Dahiru Aminu
    Of Toyin Falola, African Scholars and the Western Academy, By Mohammed Dahiru Aminu
  • The Imperative of Restructuring Nigeria, By John Nnia Nwodo
    The Imperative of Restructuring Nigeria, By John Nnia Nwodo
  • Nigeria: the Sad Return To 'Broken' Chains, By Eric Teniola
    Nigeria: the Sad Return To 'Broken' Chains, By Eric Teniola
  • Nigeria’s New Wars and Its Vacant Leaderships, By Uddin Ifeanyi
    Nigeria’s New Wars and Its Vacant Leaderships, By Uddin Ifeanyi

Like us on Facebook

Like us on Facebook

Podcasts

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

  • Main News
  • About Us
  • Contact

© 2021 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Democracy and Governance
    • Bámidélé Upfront
    • Jibrin Ibrahim
    • Okey Ndibe
  • Economy
    • Ifeanyi Uddin
  • Issues of the Day
    • Adeolu Ademoyo
    • Aribisala on Tuesday
    • Dele Agekameh
    • Pius Adesanmi
  • Politics
    • Ebeneezer Obadare
    • Femi Fani-Kayode
    • Garba Shehu
    • Hannatu Musawa
    • Zainab Suleiman Okino
  • Guest Columns
  • Faith
    • Article of Faith
    • Sunday Ogidigbo
    • Friday Sermon
    • Elevated Sight

© 2021 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.