#BringBackOurGirls – Three Months Missing; Kennedy Era End?

Nigeria’s Finance Minister in CNN Interview

In the last few days I have seen several comments on the missing girls in northern Nigeria. perhaps because the three month anniversary of the kidnapping was Thursday.

NIgeria's Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

NIgeria’s Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

CNN’s Christiane Amanpour spoke with Nigeria’s Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in an interview I found on Max Siollun’s blog. The finance minister was in England announcing an initiative called Safe Schools Now.

The finance minister said the goal is to increase security at schools throughout Nigeria. She gave some details, including the focus on tackling long term economic issues, where she comes in.

But I admit to not listening terribly well to the interview – I just came back from a delightful dinner at Safita, a Syrian restaurant in Fairfield, Connecticut with friends Laura and Tim and my husband Clem, and am mellow with the wine!

To her credit the minister does say that the Nigerian government did a poor job of communicating after the kidnapping. So true and so unfortunate!

New Yorker Blog

The New Yorker blog’s writer Naunihal Singh reminds us to keep the issue of the missing girls in the media. He says we shouldn’t forget. “Instead, concerned global citizens have to work for the release of the girls with Nigerian groups. They have to shield local activists from government harassment, and battle the news cycle and compassion fatigue to keep the spotlight on the abductees (perhaps with monthly, coördinated bursts of grassroots efforts).“ So what can I do but keep blogging!

Zainab Usman, blogger at Zainab's Musings

Zainab Usman, blogger at Zainab’s Musings

Zainab’s Musings

I also appreciated this description of the political difficulties that make a solution to Boko Haram so difficult.

The writer, Zainab Usman, talks about the conflicting interests from different regions of the country and how they contribute to the government’s inability to act.

I follow Zainab’s blog.

Each time I read her post I find something I want to comment on or read more about.

Kennedy Years Over

San Francisco street sign

San Francisco street sign

And last is a this picture of a street sign my Peace Corps colleague Stephen Vincent sent in an email this week.

He wrote, “Today the sight/site of this street sign spooked me  – out on the edge of fog filled Ocean Beach, San Francisco. Brought it all back. Our generation.

What is your best memory of the Kennedy days?

Are you old enough to have memories of those days?

Author: Catherine Onyemelukwe

Author, blogger, speaker. Born in New York, grew up in mid west United States, lived in Nigeria for 24 years, back in U.S. since 1986. Advocate for racial justice.