It is a thought-provoking irony that the anniversary of an incident of extreme ugliness was exploited for the promotion of beauty. On April 14, the second anniversary of the outrageous seizure of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram extremists, First Lady Aisha Buhari launched her book, “The Essentials of Beauty Therapy: A Complete Guide for Beauty Specialists”, at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Her husband, President Muhammadu Buhari, was on a one-week official visit to China. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo was the event’s Special Guest of Honour.
The timing of the event was intriguing because it was insensitive. Mrs. Buhari’s book launch was evidence that beauty could be beastly. It was not the kind of therapy needed. It was therapy that was nontherapeutic. According to a report by Aso Rock watcher Olalekan Adetayo, “when Mrs. Buhari’s gorgeously dressed guests were driving or being driven in their posh cars into the Villa premises, armed security operatives were barricading the seat of power in order to ensure that activists campaigning for the rescue of the girls did not have access.”
Of all days, why did Mrs. Buhari choose that day for her book presentation? Her speech on the day spoke volumes for her superficiality. Her performance lacked a sense of occasion. She said ”My natural passion for beauty and fashion developed the unique interest to work, teach and mentor young ones on beauty and fashion. In my over 10 years in the beauty industry, l have trained, mentored and empowered hundreds of young Nigerians in different areas such as facial, skin and body care.” Mrs. Buhari exposed an emphatically shallow level of empathy by linking her show with the victims of the Islamist terrorist group that has terrorised the country’s Northeast since 2009. She declared: “I am dedicating this event and the proceeds from the sales of the books to be used to empower the mothers of the Chibok girls. Others are Buni Yadi boys murdered in their sleep in 2014 as well as support the malnourished children in the different Internally Displaced Persons camps and other children in such situation across the country.”
Mrs. Buhari’s promotional enthusiasm on the occasion was pathetically uninspiring. Her words had a hollow ring: “As a mother, my heart is always with the parents of these children; I bear their pains and believe that this is one of the efforts to console them. The parents of these children brought to this event to witness this event are an indication that at individual level a lot can be done to alleviate their hardship.”
The problem with this particular individual and individualistic effort to soften the tragedy of terrorism is that the donations were wrapped in secrecy. It is fascinating that the men and women of power and resources who attended the event didn’t say how much they were giving in support of Mrs. Buhari’s self-defined cause.
Understandably, there are speculations that this monetary silence might have been influenced by the Buhari administration’s anti-corruption image. Indeed, the Vice President was quoted as saying: “The President and I are on half salaries. The President is very strict on money issues. So, don’t expect me to make a large donation.” Also, a report said: “The book presenter, Senator Daisy Danjuma, also failed to make her donation public… The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who spoke on behalf of the 36 state governors, also followed the same line. Although he promised that state governors would make the books available to all the local government areas in the country, he did not announce how much they would pay.” Mrs. Buhari’s book reportedly had a price tag of N20, 000 per copy at the event.
The question is: Doesn’t this unavailability of monetary information related to the book launch encourage public suspicion? At the end of the day, only the organisers would know how much they made from the event, and whatever they eventually give publicly, in connection with the advertised cause, may not be a true reflection of what they received privately. Wouldn’t that look like corruption? Like beauty, or even ugliness, corruption has many faces.
There is no question that Mrs. Buhari’s book launch was lamentably opportunistic. The Chibok kidnap anniversary was not an occasion to be manipulated for personal purposes dressed as public purposes. The spotlight on beauty was symbolically faulty. When the world was focused on a hideous crime against humanity, which is what the girls’ abduction represents, it was ugly to trivialise the anniversary by highlighting cosmetology.
No application of cosmetics can beautify the unattractive reality of the Chibok multiple kidnappings. Out of the 276 seized students of the Girls Senior Secondary School, Chibok, 57 managed to escape. It is a cause for concern that 219 girls are reportedly still missing, despite an international campaign that resonated across the world, involving U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.
Fundamentally, it is a failure of government that the strident popular demand for action, particularly political action by the political authorities, which was formulated as #BringBackOurGirls, has not brought the desired success. Notwithstanding initial footdragging by the Goodluck Jonathan administration that was in power when the terrorists struck in Chibok, and the associated complications, President Muhammadu Buhari must rise to the challenge. It is remarkable that the latest video attributed to Boko Haram coincided with the second anniversary of the Chibok abductions, and suggested that some of the caged girls were still alive and together. Undeniably, the unresolved kidnappings call for vigorous political will and creative dynamism. In this matter, the government of the day must demonstrate that it is conscious of its institutional and moral responsibilities.
It is food for thought that on the same day Mrs. Buhari launched her beauty book in Abuja, a more soulful and soul-lifting expression of humanity was unmistakable at the scene of the horrendous happening of April 14, 2014. Parents of some of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls and a team of Federal Government and Borno State officials led by Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima marked the sad anniversary on the school premises where the drama began.
It was a poignant moment when one of the parents, K.K Yakubu, read lyrical lines: “We don’t know whether you are dead or alive, whether you have eaten or not, whether you are forced to do things you wouldn’t want to do or not, but we miss you and pray for you.” There was a spark that should spark action in the country’s power loop. This was a moment of true beauty as well as a true moment of beauty.
NATION
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