Did you know that disinterest is real? Even though disinterest manifests in a way one may not quickly comprehend, it does exist. African continent, for instance, often deals with American cases of apathy. This is evident in foreign media while they are covering content on African news. I do not quite understand whether the journalists cover the story for the sake of duty calls or whether it’s something they love and enjoy. This question arose following 2014 Chibok haphazard when armed men kidnapped school girls.
The Chibok Tragedy
On April 14th, i.e., six years down the line, armed militia, rumored to be Boko Haram, attacked a school in Northeast Nigeria in Chibok. Boko Haram is an infamous insurgency group in Nigeria, known to kidnap, steal, kill and even lynch homes. Witnesses report that the attackers intended to steal food reserves in the school when they thought of abducting the girls. Therefore after stealing the food, the armed men seized the girls by putting them in the trucks and ferrying them.
Reactions in Response to the Tragedy
The news sparked mixed reactions among people. The families whose daughters were missing, the Nigerian government, activists, and international news agencies at large were all worried. Within days, the story had captured the attention of international media houses. The likes of BrickBackOurGirls were the headlines making rounds in social media. Celebrities like Alicia Keys, Angelina Jolie, and Michelle Obama, the then-first lady, were all endorsing campaigns to help find the girls.
The story dominated TV and radio stations, with leaders worldwide pledging to search for the girls. During that time, the only tale engraved in people’s thoughts was the missing girls.
Turn of Events
It was not long before media houses buried the stories of the missing girls. That’s inclusive of international media. No media station was airing or addressing the stories of the school girls. Thus, their families felt deserted, full of sorrow, with no idea of what to do. The Nigerian government, during that time, was under Goodluck Jonathan’s guidance. The latter also remained in confusion, wondering how to help the saddened families.
This change of events is not a smart move by the journalists. They can do better. In 2016 around May, when the missing Chibok girls’ story resurfaced, international media paid scant attention to it. And a similar reaction reoccurred when 21 of the missing girls were set free in October 2016. In 2017, a group of 82 others also were released. Today, only 107 girls are back, left to narrate the encounters they persevered under the terrorists. Other 112 remain missing, as no one knows their whereabouts.
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Nigeria Deserves Attention
The global community needs to come together to help end abduction in Nigeria. Families of the 112 lost girls have been grieving for years, wondering whether there will be a day they’ll reunite with their children. On the other hand, the Nigerian President, Mr. Buhari, claims that the unavailability of firm intelligence in Nigeria hinders them from rescuing the missing girls. As the incident is an outrage, the global community cannot just look at it and ignore it; they need to unite to solve it.
