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 authored a book in honour of the abducted Chibok school girls.

She wrote the book through her Non-Governmental Organisation(NGO), Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF).

Mrs Muhammed-Oyebode, who is a development specialist, said the book was issued to mark the ninth year of the abduction of the school girls in Borno State in 2014.

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

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

276 school girls were abducted from their school by Boko Haram in Chibok in 2014.

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

“As a collection of narratives, the book is a call to action for the restoration of balance in Nigeria’s Chibok community. It features photographs by award-winning photographer Akintunde Akinleye, interviews with the families, and chapters and excerpts by a team of experts, including journalists and psychologists, who have collaborated to create a comprehensive account and thorough examination of this tragedy,” she stated.

“The foreword for the book is written by the Chairman Board of Trustees of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation Former President Olusegun Obasanjo with essays on violence, gender, and more from writers, novelists, academics, public figures, including Nobel Laurette Professor Wole Soyinka, Mozambique and South Africa’s former first lady, Graça Machel-Mandela, Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, Bishop Mathew Kukah, Professor Femi Oyebode and beyond. The result is a heart-rending portrayal of the cost of this tragedy, which has touched the lives of communities in Nigeria and across the globe,” she said

Mrs Muhammed-Oyebode said that her foundation is determined to work with partners to improve the status of women and girls, prioritising safety, education, and economic opportunity.

“While progress has been made, it is evident that more needs to be done to develop clear routes that bring women and girls from conflict to safety. The Stolen Daughters of Chibok is a tribute to the resilience and courage of the Chibok families, who have refused to relinquish hope despite adversity.”

“This book should be read by anyone who cares about the fate of these brave girls and their families and anyone who believes in the transformative power of literature. The Murtala Muhammed Foundation is one of Nigeria’s largest charitable foundations with operational expertise across the 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 focuses on engendering self-reliance and fulfilment by working tirelessly on policy and advocacy for issues that impact ethics, equity, good governance and economic empowerment, encouraging education, development, and providing disaster relief,” Mrs Muhammed-Oyebode said.