From her much quoted malapropisms, to her feuds with State Governors, to god-motherization of political aspirants, to her inefficacious ‘Women for Change Initiative’, to her general misdemeanor in the power corridor. It would appear Patience Jonathan was cut out for the apt title of ‘Worst First lady’ of all time. Many times I blame our government for allowing an office for the First lady and endowing her with limitless powers. The First lady’s position and function is not properly defined so she can do anything and everything as she likes. Each time she grabs the microphone, I see hearts of Nigerians visibly pounding their ribcages, I guess they are silently praying at the same time that she wouldn’t employ her poor oration.

From her much quoted malapropisms, to her feuds with State Governors, to god-motherization of political aspirants, to her inefficacious ‘Women for Change Initiative’, to her general misdemeanor in the power corridor. It would appear Patience Jonathan was cut out for the apt title of ‘Worst First lady’ of all time. Many times I blame our government for allowing an office for the First lady and endowing her with limitless powers. The First lady’s position and function is not properly defined so she can do anything and everything as she likes. Each time she grabs the microphone, I see hearts of Nigerians visibly pounding their ribcages, I guess they are silently praying at the same time that she wouldn’t employ her poor oration.

Saturday 3rd of May, Patience convened a meeting of concerned women over the missing school girls in Chibok, Borno State. Initially, the meeting was convened to chart a way forward towards finding those missing school girls of Chibok, but it later metamorphosed into a fact-finding public panel of investigation chaired by the Dame herself. Suprisingly, our legislators, or one of the numerous executive committees could not hold a more fruitful meeting, or maybe too many facts were buried by key players involved prior to Dame’s much publicized investigative meeting.

And she got it right this time, she did a good job only that the good job was done at the wrong time. Now you may want to know what the good job is, well, it was through her investigative-approach meeting that the actual number of missing girls was ascertained. You may recall that at first, the number of missing girls was barely over a hundred, parents later came out to say it was close to 300 but from Dame’s investigation, WAEC, through its National Director, Dr. Charles Eguridu, confirmed that the missing girls were 230, to my greatest dismay, the National Director was applauded as he submitted exam details of the students who registered for examination at the Chibok centre. I suppose the applause was meant to reflect the mediocrity, and even conceitedness of the women in attendance of the meeting because it exposed the flaws of WAEC in that examination centre, for example, on that very list was a 60 year-old candidate, the same WAEC said that about 165 male candidates registered for the exam in a supposedly ‘girls all’ school and when WAEC raised questions about the anomaly (I believe after the girls were taken), they were told that the girls school has now become a mixed school, without any change of name or formal notification. Shouldn’t there have been a sanction for that? WAEC also alleged that it had informed the Governors of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa about their insecurity concerns pertaining their examination even before the exams commenced, they also suggested that all the candidates be moved to the State capitals for the purpose of the examinations but the Governors, School authorities and Staff declined, some perhaps on grounds that the migration might not favour examination malpractice – a common feat of exam centres in rural areas. There is however no record of any formal indemnification for WAEC to that effect.

It was through Dame’s investigation that the hideousness of typical secondary schools in rural areas was publicized, once again, a function of the government and school authorities. In Mama Peace’s words; “…what kind of school is that, no electricity, no generator, no matron, no security…” Well, that is the kind of school you would readily find in towns of the North and rural communities of Nigeria.

Through those marathon meetings, or should I say investigations, Dame has succeeded in opening a can of worms mostly indicating a poor sense of responsibility of Borno State Government, The Chibok School Authority, Security operatives and even some self-acclaimed mothers of the missing school girls of Chibok who have not visited the town in over a year.

Personally, I found the meeting quite intriguing but faulted its timing. This meeting was being held after three weeks since the school girls went missing, that is after the mothers protested vehemently and even found their ways to the streets of FCT, after mothers in other parts of Nigeria and other parts of the world took to the streets, after the social media was choked with news of missing Chibok girls like that of MH370. Did Mama Peace have to wait for cries of these women to reach her doorstep? It is just like flogging a dead horse or giving medicine after death. If these girls are miraculously rescued today, they would never be the same again. Nothing would change the fact that they have been raped, mentally tortured and psychologically amputated of their rights. One of the girls who escaped said they were raped about 15 times a day.

As much as I hate to be pessimistic, it is quite glaring that with the unfolding of each new day, these girls may be going farther away from us. That means, as we sit to investigate the causes of their disappearance, more girls are dying in the camp. Dame has tried this time only that she has taken the right step in the wrong direction. I believe her presence in Chibok would spur more action from volunteers and security forces even if it has showmanship intent. Conducting an investigation may not be of utmost benefit at this time.

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DAME PATIENCE: TAKING THE RIGHT STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION By BIZUM YADOK