By Ife Osemedua
Months after going off public space, Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has broken her long silence with a call for an end to banditry and kidnapping, especially of girls and women, in the country.
In a goodwill message addressed to Nigerian women on Monday, March 8, 2021, to mark the International Women’s Day, Mrs Buhari lamented the continued abduction of women and girls by bandits and insurgents.
Using her Twitter handle, @Aishambuhari, the message signed personally by her and entitled “Message of the First Lady, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, on the occasion of the International Women’s Day 2021”, urged stakeholders to continue to exert their different levels of influence and bring the abductions to an end.
The message read, “Today marks the 2021 edition of International Women’s Day. The day offers yet another opportunity for humanity to review and reflect progress made on issues of women and girls.
“This year’s theme: Women In Leadership: Achieving on Equal Future in a COVID-19 World is a strong call to appreciate the efforts of women and girls in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
“COVID-19 has had a huge impact on women; disrupted education and careers, lost jobs, descent into poverty, and proliferation of domestic violence. Many have also died or suffered due to lack of access to basic information on the pandemic, It is therefore important, not just to continue spreading the message of the COVID-19 protocol, but to remember and support those who have been affected negatively by the pandemic in one way or another.
“Away from COVID-19, women and girls in Nigeria have continued to suffer abductions both in the hands of insurgents and bandits.
“As a mother, I share the sorrow and agony of the victims and their families. I am also not unaware of the impact that these abductions could have in reverting many successes we have hitherto achieved, especially in terms of girl-child education and early marriages.
“I call on all stakeholders to continue to exert their different levels of influence and bring these abductions to an end and to assure us that girls are safe anywhere they may find themselves.
“My best wishes to women all over the world for their resilience, hard work, and commitment to the progress of humanity. Happy International Women’s Day. “
The First Lady sent tongues wagging when she stopped appearing in public events late last year. Her last appearance was during the wedding of her daughter, Hanan. Mrs Buhari’s absence roused more curiosity with the silence surrounding her 50th birthday celebration on February 18, 2021.