Oby Ezekwesili Sends Strong Warning to Nigerian Leaders
Former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili has denounced the nation’s political elite for celebrating Children’s Day while schoolchildren continue to fall victim to mass abductions across Nigeria.
In a pointed statement addressed to President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, state governors, federal and state legislators, and the broader political class, Ezekwesili accused leaders of abandoning, betraying, and condemning Nigerian children to suffering.
She argued that the ruling class lacks any moral justification to mark Children’s Day, given the persistent wave of school kidnappings that have plagued the country for years.
Cited Incidents of School Abductions
Ezekwesili referenced a series of high‑profile kidnappings, including the abduction of students and teachers in Oyo, Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, and Sokoto states. She also drew attention to the lingering trauma of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping, noting that many of those girls remain missing more than a decade later.
According to the former minister, thousands of learners have been affected by mass kidnappings in recent years, forcing numerous schools to shut down due to insecurity.
A Call for Concrete Action Over Ceremonial Messages
Ezekwesili urged Nigerian leaders to shift focus from issuing recycled Children’s Day greetings to tackling the root causes of insecurity. She warned that any public celebration of the day would be hollow without genuine efforts to safeguard children.
She concluded with a stark admonition: “Do not dare open your mouths on May 27 to wish Nigerian children a ‘Happy Children’s Day.’ Do not dare release the recycled, ghost‑written platitudes your media handlers have already drafted. You have no moral standing to wish anything to Nigerian children. None.”
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