…As community marks 11th anniversary of abduction
The American University of Nigeria (AUN) has marked the 11th anniversary of the Chibok school abduction with a significant gesture of support.
This was in a moving tribute to resilience and the transformative power of education.
In a statement signed by Yusuf Mohammed,
senior director, Public Affairs, the AUN stated that “On Monday, April 14, 2025, 68 Chibok girls studying at AUN publicly received laptops donated by acclaimed British journalist and humanitarian Isha Sesay.
“Against the background of the ceremony marking the 2014 Chibok school abduction, Sesay’s donation of the laptops to the Chibok girls symbolises hope and progress.
“The laptops were a testament to Ms. Sesay’s commitment to the girls’ education and future.”
Mohammed further said that “On January 29th, Ms. Sesay had announced the donation via Zoom, offering heartfelt encouragement and reaffirming her dedication to the students’ academic and personal journeys. ‘You are not defined by the darkness of your past,’ she emphasized. ‘These tools are keys to unlocking your potential – proof that the world believes in your future.’”
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The statement added that the President of AUN, Dewayne Frazier delivered a passionate address, reframing the narrative around the survivors.
“These are not the ‘Chibok girls’ frozen in time as victims,” he declared.
“They are Chibok women – mothers, students, sisters, and role models. They are scholars shaping their destinies, thriving within our AUN family and beyond.”
Frazier was said to have underscored the universality of their struggle, stating that the 2014 abduction targeted education itself, not a religion.
“That night in 2014, terrorists targeted not a religion, but education itself. Their crime was hatred for progress, for light. Yet here, a decade later, education triumphs.”
According to the statement, “Frazier acknowledged the coalition of supporters who have championed the survivors’ cause, including the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, Stephen Basari, Aisha Bugu of the Yulish Bugu Foundation, and global advocates.
“AUN’s commitment to empowering the Chibok girls and other underserved young women across the country remains unwavering. Life has no rearview mirror. The future is yours to shape. We will never cease fighting until every survivor is home, educated, and empowered.”
