The Washington Post has condemned President Goodluck Jonathan over a campaign slogan, #BringBackGoodluck2015, in support of his re-election next year.
In an editorial in the United States-based newspaper on Tuesday, titled, ‘This may be the most inappropriate political hostage of the year,’ it questioned the slogan’s similarity with that of the pressure group, Bring Back Our Girls, seeking the rescue of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted in April.
The article, in part, reads, “It was the social media campaign of the year. #BringBackOurGirls awoke the world to the ravages of Boko Haram, an al-Qaeda-linked terror group in Nigeria, and the plight of the millions of people who live in the midst of their insurgency.
“At the heart of the message were hundreds of missing schoolgirls, abducted in April from the remote village of Chibok by Boko Haram fighters who vowed to turn them into slaves.
“The #BringBackOurGirls hostage channelled sympathy from abroad and local outrage and concern in Nigeria, with many angry at the government of President Goodluck Jonathan for being unable to free the captured women.”
The editorial argued that four months later, the girls have yet to be brought back, despite the efforts of the Nigerian military as well as US counter-terrorism forces deployed in neighbouring Chad.
It further noted that more than 200 girls remain missing in suspected Boko Haram captivity, adding that others had “perished from snakebite, illness and deprivation in the wild.”
The Washington Post article underscored that the extremist Islamic sect had continued its slaughter in recent months, seizing more territory in the north-eastern side of the country.
“Over the weekend, it stormed towns along Nigeria’s border with Cameroon, killing dozens of innocent souls.
“Nigerian forces are now fighting Boko Haram in pitched battles around Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, the main hotbed of Boko Haram’s operations.
“The US reports that, at least, 1.5m people have been displaced by the conflict since Jonathan’s government declared a state of emergency in May,” It further said.
According to the editorial, while #BringBackOurGirls was just a brief cause celebre in the West — a passing moment to get morally exercised and then move on; it had a deeper meaning in Nigeria.
It further reads, “It echoed the larger frustrations of a society that has little faith in its political leadership. It is fed up with endemic corruption and wants genuine reform and better governance.
“Boko Haram is a fanatical, murderous outfit, but its insurgency gained sway in a region that has been historically marginalised and neglected by Nigeria’s central government.”
The post described Jonathan as seemingly indifferent towards the missing girls, saying his alleged indifference had hardly helped. The editorial added that in the early stages of the protests, the First Lady had reportedly had a number of #BringBackOurGirls activists detained.
“In this context, the new campaign slogan is particularly galling. Jonathan has not brought back the girls, yet his campaign expects Nigeria to bring him back to power. One wonders if it will spawn more rich satire among Nigerians on social media. After all, there’s plenty of precedent,” it said. – Additional report from Punch.
A sponsored report by washington post. Too partisan and insultive and calls for condemnation by all Nigerians. Sounded as if they are an opposition party in Nigeria, in the mould of APC
Young man, You have to be objective at times with your comments, Because the #bringbackjonathan2015 campaign is nothing but a mockery on the parent of the chibok girls who are still in the den of the insurgents. You call it sponsored, partisan and insulting because truth is always bitter to people like you. Call a spade, A spade irrespective of what your paymasters thinks.
That slogan is not exclusive to the bring back girls gang. Do they have the patent right for it. Think and also know that the foreign press writes nothing positive about Nigeria. Did they praise the FG efforts in curbing the ebola virus brought into Nigeria by an American citizen Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
Get your facts right bro, The international media commended Nigeria for containing the EVD in lagos before the resent PH incident. But this is not a case of Nigeria vs foreign media or PDP vs APC but a case of what is right and loving your neighbour as yourself. The chibok girl are people’s children and should not be mocked in anyway.
The posters are the handiwork of evil doers to disparage the person of our humble president Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
so why has Ruben Abati and Doyin Okupe not done anything about it really you want us to believe that?
The president has ordered that the offensive posters be removed immediately Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
So he just heard of the poster today after over 2 weeks of the poster hanging at unity fountain. I guess the same evil doers will pull it down now that he has seen and heard of it.
You think he is jobless like you moving about and examining posters? It has been brought to his notice, and he has done the needful. Appreciate him Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
why can’t jonathanians engage in a debate without resulting to insults, When is clear they have nothing to say or back their claims? I should be the one advising you to go get a proper job because what you are doing is not sustainable. Is not your fault anyway because you don’t even know where the poster was located and the proximity to Aso rock. Gej may claim to not have seen the poster but same cannot be said by his aides who was around there some days back when they were at Transcorp.
It is a small world.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
SMALL WORLD?
Are you telling us that the sleeping president of Nigeria was not aware of the posters that has been there for a very longtime if not for the washing post condemnation they wouldn’t have said anything about it. Pls my friend the government of the day is a funny government and for you learn how to be objective.
Do you know what is meant by Benefit of doubt
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
Is now 149 days and counting and our girls are still in the lions den, While our President and Sheriff are still in a hot romance travelling from one country instead of investing the known Boko haram sponsor. The president should wake up from his slumber and bring back this young innocent school girls and the young police cadets kidnapped from there training school in borno state.
@BlankieUmukoro: I think seriously otherwise. In fact, you appeared to be more partisan. Why not look logically at the merits of that article and the wisdom in it. Your being on the defensive for PGEJ is a clear indication you will do anything for him even when he has logically and technically erred. I have no issues with the President but I think on this issue, he has erred. Facts… the world cried out in April/May #BringBackOurGilrs#… have our girls been brought back? No! Today the president campaign slogan is #BringBackGoodluck2015# and the question is… did he lost the presidency? No! I think this is the most weird political slogan as it is capable of provoking unhealthy political turmoil and should be condemned. The president if need be should disassociate himself from the created slogan.
This is another confirmation of the existing link between APC’s hire of US-based Axelrod’s propaganda company and New York Times!!!
As at the last count, there are close to 3,000 support groups for Jonathan’s 2015 re-election reality and any of them can decide on any slogan anywhere (in and outside of Nigeria) that they believe would best suit their drive and demonstrate their resolve to take on and counter the opposition?!
If NY Times does not know or pretend not to (whichever they feel better being identified with between the two), that slogan had since been hijacked by APC to become an anti-Jonathan campaign in the hands of Oby Ezekwezili!!!
So, since the campaigners loved money so much to the extent of degrading an originally issue-based campaigned to become instrument of political opposition capital, then the morality of the slogan had been sold and lost as such any Jonathan interest group bear no moral burden by using similar slogan to advance the interest of the President!!!
This is very unfortunate for our dear country if the #Bringbackourgirls campaigners can be mocked by the government.
GEJ has just displayed his nonchalant nature again. When our young girls are going thru hell in the camp of the insurgents, he is busy making mockery of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign and adapting the slogan into his own re-election campaign.
This only proves that he is insensitive towards the pain and tribulations parents of these kidnaped girls and Nigerians have been going thru. This man lacks all qualities required to be a leader of this country.
The senseless and huge joke by those campaigning for Jonathan
re-election bid have demonstrated the level of poverty in the land.
Which nation on earth would, on the face of what’s going on in the
country under an administration adjudged by the majority to be inept,
clueless and massively corrupt, still asked that FOUR YEARS be given to
it? The insensitive hashtag coined from the #BringBackOurGirls campaign
is the height of desperation by a microscopic element seeking to return
to the seat of government, a man that clearly has no business in
governance in any shape or form.