Knocks for Patience as Michelle joins campaign

 

United States First Lady, Michelle Obama, on Thursday warmed her way into the hearts of many Nigerians after she joined the raging online campaign for the freedom of the abducted female pupils of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

Michelle,  in a message she penned on her Twitter page,  offered words of encouragement to the parents and loved ones of the girls who have been kidnapped since April 14.

She also posted a picture of herself which had the inscription of the global trending hashtag, #BringBackOurGirls on the social network.

“Our prayers are with the missing Nigerian girls and their families. It’s time to bring back our girls,” the US First Lady tweeted.

But while Michelle received accolades for lending a voice to the #BringBackOurGirls movement, some angry Nigerians took a swipe at her Nigerian counterpart, Patience Jonathan.

According to them, while Michelle Obama joined the worldwide campaign for the safe return of the female pupils, Patience simply argued that no girls were missing.

Patience had on Monday stated, “So, we the Nigerian women are saying that no child is missing in Borno State. If any child is missing, let the governor (Kashim Shettima of Borno State) go and look for them. There is nothing we can do again.”

Many online commentators who caught up with the picture posted by Michelle on Twitter lashed out at Patience for her failure to be sympathetic to the plight of the abducted pupils and their parents.

Political blogger, Kayode Ogundamisi, compared Michelle’s response to the abduction and Patience’s wailing on national television.

“Imagine if Patience Jonathan had just displayed a support to the ‘bring back our girls’ campaign as the First Lady of the United States is doing and not indulge in the charade of ‘There is God ooo,” Ogundamisi lamented on Twitter.