A former student at Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, Lydia Pogu, has delivered a moving speech during her convocation at Southeastern University, United States.
Pogu, who was one of the about 300 students abducted on April 14, 2014 by Boko Haram terrorists, bagged a master’s degree at the university after earning a bachelor degree from the same university.
While recounting the abduction experience, she thanked the institution for being supportive throughout her academic programmes, stressing that she was surrounded by “loving and caring people in my life that I will never trade our friendships for anything else.”
She said, “My fellow graduates, today is divine milestone in our live although you may have experienced pain and hardship…. My fellow graduates I will like to share my journey with you, I am hoping this will be a source of inspiration for you all; the journey of life has made me to be a woman standing in front of you today. My journey is example of God love, grace and his faithfulness.
“I was born and raised up in Borno State in small village called Chibok. Some of you might have known my story but I love sharing my story because it shows God work everything for my good just like the scriptures say in Roman 8:28.
“In 2014 on the night of 14th April, 2014, I and schoolmates were kidnapped in a government school called Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok by Islamists terrorists called Boko Haram which means (education is taboo). We were about 275 girls mostly Christians that were kidnapped that night.
“When I was in that truck I heard a voice that said ‘jump out of the truck but another said I shouldn’t jump out of the truck.’ I took step of faith to jump out with my friend Sarah. I knew it was God, I knew God does not want me certainly to stay in that truck. Out of 275 girls that were kidnapped that night, only 164 have been reunited with their families and 112 girls are still in captivity with Boko Haram.”
The graduating lady said because of the experience of that night, she was scared to go back to school, adding that she told her parents she would rather stay at home with them and suffered together than go back to school.
She added, “I thought all my dreams have changed but God has a different plan for me. In the same year, my cousin, Joy Bishara, and I were given the opportunity to come to the America to study all we asked is ‘is America safe for study’”?
