Development specialist, NGO expert, and human rights activist Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, Founder and CEO of Murtala Muhammed Foundation, announced the release of her new book, The Stolen Daughters of Chibok on April 12, 2023, in Lagos state, Nigeria.
A timely collection of narratives and a call-to-action for the restoration of the equilibrium for Nigeria’s Chibok community following the abduction of 276 young girls from their school in Chibok in 2014, by the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
Assembling testimonies of loss and hope from the young girls’ families, beginning in 2015 when none of the girls were yet to be found, The Stolen Daughters of Chibok chronicles the devastating impact of their abduction alongside the trauma their families continue to face. Rather than a tale of plight, the collection seeks to evoke empathy and inspire action as 96 girls remain in captivity – nine years after the abduction.
Commissioned by the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, the book is a collective effort featuring a team of experts, including journalists and psychologists, who have come together to create a comprehensive account and thorough examination of this tragedy. The remarkable volume of narratives contains an unprecedented number of personal accounts that draw attention to an ongoing crisis where women and girls are neglected, violated, and excluded on the grounds of their gender and social status.
The volume features powerful photographs captured by the award-winning photographer Akintunde Akinleye, interviews with the Chibok families documented by the book’s creators and edited by Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode herself, essays and reflections on violence, gender, and more from writers, novelists, academics, public figures, including Professor Wole Soyinka, Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, South Africa’s first lady, Graça Machel-Mandela, Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II and more. 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.
The Stolen Daughters of Chibok is also 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.
Commenting on the book, Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, said: “More questions than answers have emerged from our collective attempts to reckon with the facts and severity of the Chibok disaster. As we approach the 9th anniversary of the Chibok kidnapping, what remains clear is that there is still no route that brings women and girls from conflict to safety. Women and girls in Nigeria and globally deserve security, education, and a better future – I will make it my mission to work with partners to establish this as an urgent priority.”
Dr. Muhammed-Oyebode has committed the proceeds from the book to the development of Chibok and other Boko Haram-devastated communities with an emphasis on education and the restoration of livelihoods.
