Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
The Zontal Club, a women club in Ibadan on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest to show dissatisfaction over continuous captivity of Leah Sharibu.
Leah was abducted on February 19, 2018 along with 104 Dapchi girls by Boko-Haram insurgent but remains only girl that has been kept in captivity of the insurgent since.
Speaking with journalists, the Zontial president, Mrs. Funke Famuyiwa pleaded with President Mohammadu Buhari and other well meaning Nigerians to pursue all avenues to ensure the release of Leah safe and sound.
She said: “All Nigerians must continue to pray without ceasing. The Lord in whom Leah Sharibu has put her trust will continue to shield and protect her wherever she is and deliver her from her captors.
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Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with all her family members for their faith and trust in God to be strengthened.”
Also speaking, the Second President, Dr. Bisi Awosanya said the members of the club are appealing to the Federal Government to ensure the release of Leah saying because they feel the pain of her parents and trauma the girl may be going through in the insurgent’s captivity.
“We feel the pain and grief of her parents. We imagine psychological trauma Leah is suffering presently. We are therefore appealing to the Federal Government and international communities to come to the aid of releasing Leah.
“Education of girl-child is germane to economic development and education is a tool that enables women and girls to participate in decisions that affect their lives and improving their social status.
We therefore enjoin the Federal Government to provide education, gainful employment and other social needs to reduce crime in the society and therefore promote peaceful coexistence in the country”.
Zontal International is a global organization of executives and professionals who work together with primary objective to advance the status of women through service and advocacy as well as the promotion of the well-being and progress of girl-child.