…Decries Misgovernance and Neglect of Education
Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has raised the alarm over the continued neglect of Government Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno State—11 years after the tragic abduction of over 200 schoolgirls by Boko Haram insurgents.
In a statement posted on his official social media page, Obi revealed that human rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, had drawn his attention to the dire condition of the school. According to him, the school, which has a population of over 2,500 students, operates without computers, functional laboratories, or even electricity.
“Earlier this month, my dear sister Aisha Yesufu called to give me the disturbing information that there were no computers, functional laboratories, or electricity in the Secondary School in Chibok, the same school where over 200 girls were sadly kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014, with 70 still unaccounted for,” Obi said.
He noted that the school had just one desktop computer, prompting Yesufu to request support for at least two more and basic solar lighting for the computer room.
Obi said he had initially tried to reach Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, to facilitate a visit to the school but was advised against travelling to the region due to security concerns. Instead, a meeting was arranged in Abuja with Chibok community leaders, where he made the symbolic gesture of support.
“Aisha Yesufu accordingly arranged a meeting between me and the Chibok community leaders in Abuja, where I presented them with 10 laptops and 3 printers as a start. I also donated the sum of ₦2 million each towards providing some items for the lab, the computer classroom, and a handheld motorised borehole, totalling ₦6 million,” Obi stated.
He emphasized that his actions were not mere donations, but a promise to invest in the future of the Chibok community.
“I promised to do more and made it clear to them that what I was doing was not a donation, but a sincere commitment and a promise to the future of our community,” he added.
Expressing deep concern, Obi used the moment to reflect on what he described as misplaced priorities and the rising cost of misgovernance in Nigeria.
“Occasions like this are deeply disturbing and cause me to reflect and personally question our priorities and the rising costs of misgovernance. One wonders why we live in a nation where our students don’t have labs, books, or even pencils, while our leaders live in opulence, spending billions to renovate conference centres, build car parks, and furnish new lodges of international standards,” he said.
He concluded with a passionate appeal to Nigerian leaders and citizens alike:
“I continue to plead on behalf of all of us that the time has come for self-examination. We must prioritise critical areas of development, education, healthcare, and pulling our people out of poverty.”
The Chibok school came to global attention in 2014 when Boko Haram militants abducted 276 girls, sparking international outrage and the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. Despite efforts over the years, over 70 of the girls remain missing.