by Kolapo Olapoju

From casting aspersions to out-rightly attacking the veracity of the Chibok girls’ abduction, journalist, Amanze Obi wrote an opinion piece that was widely irked a lot of people.

Amanze Obi, while questioning the fact that the girls were abducted, also insinuated that President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, were the architects of the episode.

Below are 10 odious quotes from his ridiculous piece:

1. Chibok, to all intents and purposes, was invented by opposite people in Nigeria as an instrument of blackmail. It was a deliberate act of mischief directed at a government that was programmed for a fall. But government, the target of the blackmail, did not, at first, understand what all that was all about. It thought Chibok was mere happenstance. It did not realise that it was enemy action.

 

 

2. Before government could come to terms with the situation, the prying eyes of the international community was focused on Nigeria. Their attention had been drawn to the oddity. The blackmail had worked. Government was then faced with the huge task of explaining the situation. But explanations would not do. What made sense at that point in time, and even now, was the rescue of the girls.

 

 

3.  Bring Back our Girls agitators seized the stage. They put government on its toes. The government cried foul. It accused the agitators of work­ing for the opposition. Government was probably right on that score. But it still had the responsibility of rescuing the girls. That was the only thing that could make sense.

 

 

4. The insurgents seem to have withdrawn into their shell without prompting. The mere pronouncement of Buhari as winner of the presidential polls has weakened their resolve to fight. They appear to be at one with the development. Thus, even before the ascension of Buhari, the terrorist elements, who are behaving like his lieutenants are already giving the impression that all is well.

 

 

5. But no matter what we try to say or do now, Chibok, whatever it means or connotes in Nigeria of today, has been consigned to the ash heaps of modern history. We may choose to remember the issue, surrounding the schoolgirls one year after the frenzy seized us as we are doing now. But that is how far it can go. Chibok merely spells frenzy. And that is what is going on now.

 

 

6. Major General Muhammadu Buhari, the chief priest of the Chibok grove, has said, as he has always done, that he would rescue the schoolgirls. Even though the schoolgirls were reported to have been missing some one year ago, hope over their rescue has not dimmed for worshippers at the Chibok grove.

 

 

7. Even though the worshippers at the Chibok grove are yet to demonstrate to the world the sweeping powers of their possession, the people are already full of expectation. And this brings us to the doubt that has been existing in the minds of some Nigerians over Chibok.

 

 

8. There are those who held and still hold that Chibok is not real. They will tell you that the story is sheer contrivance. They insist that no schoolgirls were abducted. When they do not go to such extremes, they will advance certain conspiracy theories, notably, that the abduction was the handiwork of enemies of government, who would be too eager to present another set of girls and pass them off as Chibok schoolgirls the moment they are sure that such an action will suit their purpose.

 

 

9. One day, the incoming government will announce that it has rescued the girls. Nigerians will be­lieve them, even if the claim is false. After all, Nigerians believed all the lies of the oppo­sition during the electioneering campaigns. Such compulsive belief has to continue.

 

 

10. And if it is taken for granted that the incoming government has some magical powers, then there should be no problem in locating and rescuing the girls. Those holding them will simply reach out to their principal in the incoming dispensation and the deal will be wrapped up.