by S’ola Filani

The Washington Post has once again berated the Nigerian president Jonathan but this time his supporters are not left out!

In its article titled “This may be the most inappropriate political hashtag of the year”, Washigton Post’s Ishaan Tharor, mocked GEJ supporters using the #bringback hashtag for his 2015 election campaign.

Banners that agitate people to vote for Goodluck Jonathan at the upcoming presidential election have been seen in the streets of Abuja – with the slogan #BringBackOurGoodluck2015 – however,  the slogan is perceived to be a mockery of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign which was birth months ago to champion the release of the 200+ missing Chibok girls believed to be kidnapped by the Boko Haram.

#BringBackOurGirls –  the social media campaign of the year, channeled sympathy from abroad and local outrage and concern in Nigeria, with many angry at the government of President Goodluck Jonathan for being unable to free the captured women.

However, it’s been four months and the girls have still not been rescued.

It’s even sadder that the GEJ campaigners have chosen to make a mockery of the situation with the insensitive slogans on the campaign banners.

Although it’s not clear whether Jonathan has officially endorsed the new hashtag, but he hasn’t come out to oppose the act.

Criticizing the campaigners, The Washington post in its article wrote:

“Banners emerged in the capital Abuja over the weekend showing Jonathan alongside a new slogan: #BringBackGoodluck2015. The campaign appears to be the work of supporters of the president, keen for his reelection in presidential polls next February. 

While #BringBackOurGirls was just a brief cause celebre in the West — a passing moment to get morally exercised and then move on — it had a deeper meaning in Nigeria. It echoed the larger frustrations of a society that has little faith in its political leadership, is fed up with endemic corruption and wants genuine reform and better governance. Jonathan blamed activists espousing the hashtag for “politicizing” the crisis.

Boko Haram is a fanatical, murderous outfit, but its insurgency gained sway in a region that has been historically marginalized and neglected by Nigeria’s central government. Jonathan’s seeming indifference toward the missing girls hardly helped. In the early stages of the protests, his wife even reportedly had a number of #BringBackOurGirls activists detained.

In this context, the new campaign slogan is particularly galling. Jonathan has not brought back the girls, yet his campaign expects Nigeria to bring him back to power. One wonders if it will spawn more rich satire among Nigerians on social media. After all, there’s plenty of precedent.”

That said, we gotta to ask the GEJ  a quick question that has been on everyone’s mind “You didn’t bring back Chibok, why should then we bring you back?” ….over to yo’.