A university don and former presidential candidate, Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies has expressed her support for the nationwide “Bring Our Children Back” protests.
The protests followed the abduction of students and teachers in Ogbomoso, Oyo State and Papiri, Niger State.
Adesanya-Davies condemned the mass abductions of the students and their teachers in the strongest terms, saying that: “The chalk must speak louder than the gun. No teacher should die in service to humanity. It is not an offence to send our children to school or to get them educated.”
She sympathised with parents, the Nigeria Union of Teachers(NUT) and communities across Oyo and Niger states over the abduction of 150 children and 12 teachers.
Adesanya-Davies urged the President Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde, and Governor Umar Bago of Oyo and Niger states respectfully to treat the rescuing of the abductees as a national emergency.
“I commend Mr. President for prioritizing rescue efforts and for assuring parents that the children are alive. But our mothers and fathers need action, not just assurance. President Tinubu and Governor Bago must do all they can to bring back our children now,” she stated.
She welcomed Governor Bago’s directive closing all schools in Niger State, noting, “this is not the time for a blame game. Our focus must be on how to rescue the children”
She commended the NUT, parents, and civil society for organizing peaceful solidarity rallies in Lagos, Abuja, and other cities.
