Sagewood College supports Nigerian girls

Pupils of the school in Midrand held a two-minute silent protest and prayed for the well being of over 200 Nigerian schoolgirls who were abducted in April by Islamist extremists Boko Haram.

Ingrid Meyer, a teacher at the school said it was important for the school to show its support. “As a school we cannot imagine what those innocent schoolgirls are going through at the hands of Boko Haram. It is an inhumane experience.”

Sagewood College head girl, Emese Nolan said, “Their only crime has been to believe in another God and choosing to have an education over marriage.”

Another pupil, Vanessa Akibate said, “The Nigerian government has not done enough to make sure those girls are brought back quickly.”

One of the organisers of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign at the college, pupil Lolwethu Qasha said, “We decided enough is enough, we need to keep peacefully protesting for the girls’ safe return.”

Pupils spoke of the trauma parents of the abducted schoolgirls must be going through, and expressed appreciation for the safety they feel at their school. They wrote the #BringBackOurGirls slogan on the palms of their hands as a further reminder that the abducted schoolgirls are not back home.

While South Africa and the world show support of the girls, on 3 June Nigerian police reportedly banned #BringBackOurGirls protests in the capital Abuja. Authorities have cited “security concerns” as the main reason for the ban.