RALLY FOR CHIBOK GIRLS CONTINUES IN NEW YORK

The Rallies for the missing girls continued in New York, Yesterday. According to Sahara Repeoters;

It was the third of several rallies aimed at drawing further attention to the missing female Nigerian students kdnapped in Borno State. Unlike previous gatherings on this issue, the Tuesday rally organized by the New York-based Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum (NDLF) was held in front of the Nigerian consulate offices in mid-town New York.

The crowd of protesters that grew in number as time went by, carried signs that read, ‘Step up, or step down.’ It was a message aimed at Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, who many at the Tuesday gathering believe has been ineffective in freeing the kidnapped students. The actual number of mostly young female students varies, but it is believed that upwards of 270 may well be in the hands of the Boko Haram.

The Boko Haram group is composed of Islamic extremists, who call for Sharia law, and who also believe the classroom is not the place for young females students. Their target is stopping the spread of what they call, ‘Western Education,’ offered to both Nigerian boys and girls everywhere.

Yet, the prevailing mood of the group of protesters was simply that the office of the Nigerian president is “not doing enough” to free his own citizens, held against their will, and whose whereabouts at this hour is unknown.

SaharaReporters spoke with several who took part in the New York gathering, and their message was emotional.

Joymarie Abulokwe, originally from Rivers State, said what has occurred is “huge (and that) the inaction of President Jonathan (on this matter) is unacceptable.”

Emeka Ifebi, a long time New York resident from Lagos who has spent over 36 years as a city worker, said that he had “heard about this mid-week gathering among other Nigerian ex-patriots,” and that he was moved to attend, taking time off from work.

Another was Oluremi Oshikanlu, a civil attorney who practices law in Mid-Town New York, who said that (“it) is a shame that these young women were kidnapped while asleep in Chibok, and at school.” He like so many of the participants here remained hopeful that all would be returned to their families.

Nigeria’s consulate is literally around the corner from United Nations headquarters, and many of the passersby who stopped to observe were UN employees.

The kidnapping of the students who attended the all girls school in Borno state, has struck the president’s office like no other crisis in recent years. Some political observers say, president Goodluck Jonathan’s stature has been weakened by the crisis, and with the World Economic Forum about to kick-off in Abuja this week, Jonathan will be closely watched like never before.

One thing remains certain, unlike other crisis to hit Nigeria; with a large contingent of the international press covering this Tuesday mid-afternoon rally the world is paying attention and watching Nigerian affairs closely this time.