Senate Laments Non-return of Chibok Girls
Catholic church intercedes for safe return of schoolgirls
The Senate yesterday joined other Nigerians to commemorate the children’s day with regret that one year after their kidnap, the whereabouts of the Chibok girls remain unknown. According to Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom North-east), the celebration called for sober reflection as a result of the non-return of the Chibok girls, saying Nigerians must remember the missing girls on this day with nostalgia.
Enang also said as much as it was necessary to celebrate the Children’s Day, it was also necessary to express concerns and sympathy for the missing girls, the less privileged and other children who have been victims of insurgency in the North-east as well as other parts of the country.
“The greatest love we can show is care for children of the less privileged who will grow with our children,” he added.
In his remarks, Senate President David Mark, urged the federal government to do everything within its reach to ensure that the Chibok girls unite with their parents and the nation, adding: “That notwithstanding, I think it is appropriate that we celebrate with those who are with us at least to give them a sense of belonging and protection,” he said.
He called for the adoption of Child Rights Act by states, saying the Act had no cumbersome stipulations to be afraid of. He insisted that the Act should have been adopted by any state which had the interests of children at heart.
“Today is a very special day for Nigeria and to the rest of the world because it is devoted to children, the leaders of tomorrow. We must make sure that they have a very sound foundation.
“I urge the state governments not to play politics with this Act, they should adopt that Act because it is a universal Act,” he said.
Christ Eaglets Foundation, a Catholic church group, has offered prayers for the safe rescue of the over 200 Chibok girls in Boko-Haram captivity.
President of the foundation, Mrs. Achile Unekwu-Oju, said the foundation had offered mass and interceded in prayer for their safety.
Achile stated this at the first annual children’s festival of light in commemoration of the 2015 children’s day celebration. She said the group believes in God’s will and believes his will shall be done on their rescue “catholic church do not give God a timeline we let his will be done.
Achile further stated that the groups expectation for the new government is high, considering the administration was ushered in from the prophetic word change. “Let there be change and today again we are here to speak another prophetic word, let there be light and this light will shine in darkness and overcome the darkness in the country.”
She however called on the general public to be the change they wanted to see in the society.
The officiating priest, Reverend Father Matthew Fajo, noted that the task of nation building was a joint task which everyone must play a role to make it work.
He urged all Nigerians to set parameters for measuring the much expected change from the incoming administration, insisting that the mush touted change would not happen over night.
‘‘There is much expectation from everyone but the task of building is a process and a task everyone must be part of. Let there be indices on the ground. Nobody can expect exponential growth over night but let the right thing be done and people
see the indices. We can build on that gradually,’’ he said.