In a moving tribute to resilience and the transformative power of education, the American University of Nigeria marked the 11th anniversary of the Chibok school girls’ abduction with a significant gesture of support.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Senior Director Public Affairs of AUN, Yusuf Mohammed, it noted that 68 Chibok girls studying at AUN received laptops donated by the acclaimed British journalist and humanitarian, Isha Sesay.
“Against the background of the ceremony marking the 2014 Chibok school abduction, Ms. Sesay’s donation of the laptops to the Chibok girls symbolises hope and progress.
“The laptops were a testament to Ms. Sesay’s commitment to the girls’ education and future.
“On January 29th, Ms. Sesay had announced the donation via Zoom, offering heartfelt encouragement and reaffirming her dedication to the students’ academic and personal journeys.”
The statement added, “You are not defined by the darkness of your past,” she emphasised, stressing, “These tools are keys to unlocking your potential – proof that the world believes in your future.”
AUN President Dr. Dewayne Frazier, in his remaks, said, “These are not the ‘Chibok girls’ frozen in time as victims,” he declared. “They are Chibok women – mothers, students, sisters, and role models.”
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According to Frazier, they are scholars shaping their destinies, thriving within AUN family and beyond.
He underscored the universality of their struggle, stating that the 2014 abduction targeted education itself, but not a religion.
“That night in 2014, terrorists targeted not a religion, but education itself. Their crime was hatred for progress, for light. Yet here, a decade later, education triumphs.”
The president acknowledged the coalition of supporters who have championed the survivors’ cause, including the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, Stephen Basari, Aisha Bugu of the Yulish Bugu Foundation, and global advocates
“AUN’s commitment to empowering the Chibok girls and other underserved young women across the country remains unwavering.
“Life has no rearview mirror. The future is yours to shape. We will never cease fighting until every survivor is home, educated, and empowered,” he posited.
