It is a beautiful spring morning. I hear the vibrant song of birds. The quiet night is giving way to promises of the hustle and bustle of an untarnished day by any breaking news yet! My suspicions that this will change was confirmed as the news sunk into my very being.
214 Girls Rescued From Boko Haram Camps Are Pregnant.
This is the sad headline that literally threw my emotions all over the place. The terrorist group Boko Haram has committed a lot of atrocious deeds but this latest news stung deeply. What I’m grappling with is the net effect and generational implications of these pregnant young girls.
It’s hard to imagine what they have been subjected to by their captors. The initial trauma of being torn from their families amidst gunfire, scary transportation to hideouts, maybe enduring multiple rapes, and various forms of abuse. Now they turn up pregnant!!
Needless to say, their lives will never be the same!
They begin a very long road to normalcy – if there is ever going to
be such a thing. Then, the babies they are carrying. When birthed, they will grow up with a dark cloud hanging over their heads: Who their real fathers are? Who will step in as fathers? Followed by society’s view of them as they grow up. They will become adults and eventually begin to have families of their own. What will their stories be?
As these girls are reintegrated into the community it is obvious this is going to be a very complex and long term process. It will take generations to repair the damage done!
All this because of Boko Haram! The easiest part of the blame equation.
The deeper problem is that of leadership. What we are witnessing is the failure of leaders leading effectively. Leaders of Nigeria who failed to protect the citizens. African Leaders who have kept silent because it’s not in their backyard. Leaders in Nations that have turn a blind eye and deaf ears to the cries of countries overwhelmed by terrorist organizations. Leaders of Nations and organization that have sold weapons, provided intelligence, and facilitated the wanton destruction of families, through shady financial networks and calculated nefarious dealings.
This is a shameful testament of selfish, corrupt and inept leaders! When leaders fail to lead, bad things happen. Very bad things happen!
Children are abducted. Foreigners are maltreated and sometimes killed in other countries. Migrants drown in search of better lives. Cities like Ferguson and Baltimore go up in flames. And evil is called good!
This is an outcry for true leaders to rise up and lead!
Leaders who are able to stare evil in the face and annihilate them!
Do you agree that responsible leaders can bring terrorists organizations like Boko Haram to its knees and create a better society?
