Murtala Muhammed’s daughter releases book on abducted Chibok girls

A daughter of the late Nigerian Head of State, Murtala Muhammed, Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, has written a book in honor of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls.

He wrote the book through his Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Murtala Muhammed Foundation (IMF).

Mrs Muhammed-Oyebode, who is a development specialist, said the book marks the ninth year of the 2014 abduction of schoolgirls in Borno State.

She said women and girls, especially in Nigeria, need security, education and a better future.

According to him, the book titled ‘The Stolen Daughters of Chibok’ was released on April 4 by PowerHouse Books Inc in New York, United States of America (USA) and is being released internationally.

276 schoolgirls were kidnapped by Boko Haram from their school in Chibok in 2014.

Mrs Muhammed-Oyebode said the book collected testimonies of their families’ loss and hope starting in 2015 before any of the girls were found.

“As a collection of narratives, the book is a call to action to restore balance in the Chibok community in Nigeria. In it, photographs by award-winning photographer Akintunde Akinleye, interviews with families and chapters and episodes from a team of experts, including journalists and psychologists, have collaborated to create a narrative and in-depth analysis of this tragedy,” he said.

“The foreword of the book is written by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, with essays by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on violence, gender and other writers, novelists, academics, public figures and Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, Mozambique. and the former first lady of South Africa, Graça Machel-Mandela, Muhammadu Emir Sanusi II, Bishop Mathew Kukah, Professor Femi Oyebode and beyond. The result is a heart-wrenching portrait of the cost of this tragedy, which has touched the lives of communities in Nigeria and around the world,” he said.

Mrs. Muhammed-Oyebode said her foundation is committed to working with partners to improve the status of women and girls, prioritizing safety, education and economic opportunity.

“Although progress has been made, it is clear that more needs to be done to develop clear pathways that will lead women and girls from conflict to safety. The Stolen Daughters of Chiboken is a tribute to the resilience and courage of Chibok families who, despite adversity, have refused to give up hope.”

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“Anyone who cares about the fate of these brave girls and their families, and anyone who believes in the transformative power of literature, should read this book. The Murtala Muhammed Foundation is one of Nigeria’s largest charitable foundations with operational experience in six key geopolitical zones of the Federation and programs that address the most significant economic and social challenges of our time.

As a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of Africans, the Foundation promotes self-reliance and fulfillment by working on policy and advocacy for issues affecting ethics, equity, equity, good governance and economic empowerment. providing education, development and disaster relief,” said Mrs Muhammed-Oyebode