#BringBackOurGirls: Singer Alicia Keys Leads Rally To Mark 6-Months Anniversary
American musician and activist Alicia Keys of the We Are Here
Movement, Kechie’s Project, and United Nations Women held a rally in
front of the Nigerian House October 14 to commemorate the 6-months
anniversary of the abduction of over 200 school girls by the militant
sect Boko Haram in Chibok, Nigeria.
American
musician and activist Alicia Keys of the We Are Here Movement, Kechie’s
Project, and United Nations Women held a rally in front of the Nigerian
House October 14 to commemorate the 6-months anniversary of the
abduction of over 200 school girls by the militant sect Boko Haram in
Chibok, Nigeria.
“Most of us, myself included, are here today because we really need to keep the flame burning on this issue. We are not going to let it go away,” said Evon Ruth Idahosa, one of the #BringBackOurGirl campaign organizers. “And it’s not an anti-government movement, we are actually pro-government. We are just really trying to get the government to do what they took an oath of office to do, which is to protect life and liberty.“
Professor Mojubaolu Okome of the Political Science, African, and Women’s Studies department at Brooklyn College also expressed her sentiments.
“We want to remind the Nigerian government that it’s their job to rescue the girls, to bring the to their families,” said Okome. “We also want to remind the Obama admin that it’s promised that it will help the Nigerian government to rescue he girls.”
With her prominent husband rapper Swizz Beatz by her side, the singer and the packed crowd, chanted “Bring Our Girls Back” as pedestrians passed by. Keys especially, increased the volume of her voice every time, as if she wants the message to get across more clearly.
“The most unfortunate part is that people, wealthy Nigerians, wealthy Americans, or wealthy anyone, wouldn’t event be her at this time, to remind people about what is going on, and it is terrible,” Keys said. “We have no idea what they are going through right now. It is not right that they have to go through this. It’s not right that they’ve been taken from their families and that their families do not know where they are or when they are coming back is a tragedy.”
The #BringBackOurGirls movement is said to be losing momentum since it inception in early May when the girls were first kidnapped. Activists however, feel contrary.
“It’s a matter of justice, it’s a matter of life, death,” said Idahosa. “We are going to continue to pray, but we are going continue to fight, we are going to continue to lift our voices.”
To conclude the occasion, the protesters chanted the slogan, “The People United, Shall Never Be Defeated.” Some also shared a message with the world.
“This is an issue of humanity, so I’m proud to say that we are also in solidarity with the mothers who are marching on the presidential palace of Goodluck Jonathan” Keys said.
“It’s a matter of justice, it’s a matter of life, death,” added Rev. Dionne P. Boissiere of the Church Center for thee United Nations. “We are going to continue to pray, but we are going continue to fight, we are going to continue to lift our voices.”
No comments:
Post a Comment