A former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has explained how he ended the daily protest by Bring Back Our Girls, BBOG, led former minister of education, Oby Ezekwesili in Abuja.
Mohammed shared some of his experiences when he served as the spokesperson of the government during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He spoke at the Spokespersons Summit, themed, ‘Integrity and the Evolving Roles of Spokespersons in Leadership Communication and Development,’ in Abuja on Tuesday.
Mohammed noted that the role of a spokesperson in leadership communication has evolved from being a simple conduit of information to a dynamic, strategic position that requires integrity, adaptability, and ethical judgment.
He further noted that the society increasingly values knowledge derived from experience, direct observation, and evidence rather than theoretical postulation.
The Oby Ezekwesili and Aisha Yesufu-led BBOG movement was a frontliner among groups that constantly demanded the return of the Chibok girls kidnapped and taken away by Boko Haram insurgents.
The Bring Back Our Girls ovement led a vocal campaign to secure the return of the 276 girls abducted by Boko Haram on the night of April 14–15, 2014, during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The campaigners gathered daily at key points in Abuja, clad in red and white, attracting both local and international attention.
Oby Ezekwesili made people believe that the the Federal Government was not doing enough to find and rescue the girls.
Explaining how he ended that protest, Mohammed said, “We realized that only a drastic measure could convince the group of the government’s commitment and change the narrative they had presented to the world.
“We invited the group along with a representative of the Chibok community, Dr. Allen Manaseh, to join us on a trip to witness firsthand the military’s efforts.
“After considerable back and forth over the modalities of the trip, the BBOG Co-Convener, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, reluctantly agreed to participate. However, she insisted that I must be on the same flight with her from Abuja to Yola.
“Initially, a smaller aircraft had been provided to convey me to Yola, while the BBOG delegation and the media team were scheduled to travel separately.
“But the limited capacity of the smaller aircraft made it impossible to accommodate everyone. To address this, a larger military aircraft – the C-130 Hercules – was made available.
“Yet, due to Dr. Ezekwesili’s insistence on my presence aboard the same flight, I had to abandon the original smaller aircraft and join the entire team on the Hercules. It was a significant gesture, not just to accommodate her request, but to demonstrate our sincerity and openness in engaging with critics and stakeholders alike.
“On January 16–17, 2017, I once again led a team of local and international journalists, along with Dr. Ezekwesili and some members of the BBOG Team, on another trip, first to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base in Yola.
“The Chief of Air Staff at the time, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, was personally on ground to receive us, along with his senior team. He demonstrated full cooperation and transparency by instructing some of the tactical commanders to provide detailed technical briefings to both the media and the BBOG delegation.
“From there, Dr. Ezekwesili, a select group of journalists, and I were embedded with the NAF reconnaissance teams conducting search sorties over the Sambisa Forest day and night
“Apparently impressed by the military’s efforts, BBOG – upon our return to Abuja – later issued a statement [to confirm government and military efforts to bring back the girls]”
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