Nigerian Female Footballers beg for the release of the kidnapped school girls, and they are doing what they can to keep the issue in the public eye.
The 100th day of #BringBackOurGirls is aimed at highlighting the potential of sports to bring back the abducted Chibok girls. In commemoration of the 100 days since the abduction of over 200-school girls in Chibok, Nigeria, some women football players in Abuja took to the playing field for a “100 days football Match for the missing Chibok Girls,” on Tuesday, July 22.
The match was played between two football teams in Abuja - the Dream Girls Women, and the Airtel Girls FC. It ended with a score of 1-0 in favor of the Dream girls.
With the abduction of the Chibok school girls and Boko Haram's nonstop attack on Nigerians in the North-East, the event organizer Aderonke Ogunleye, an award winning journalist and social change initiator, thought it very relevant to ask for their return using sports.
Ms. Ogunleye said she organized the event because she believes there is power in sports for development. “Sports is a powerful tool, a silent force that can be used to make a great impact in the society," she said, "it is a universal language, and of course, the only thing that brings Nigeria together, we are imploring Boko Haram to please release the kidnapped Chibok girls.” "It has been a hundred days of wailing and crying in the household of these girls. Mothers are not happy about it. We are begging the insurgents to please let our girls go back home to their parents," she pleaded.
Gloria Ewelike, a central midfielder with the Airtel Girls FC urged the Federal Government to find a way to stop Boko Haram from killing Nigerians. She also prayed to God for their return. “I want to beg the government to try and stop Boko Haram from killing and bombing," she said, "we pray to God to help bring back the girls. God should soften their minds, and return the girls to their parents.”
The Nigerian Red cross, UN Women and Airtel are partners of the event and Ms. Ogunleye thanked the partners for making the event a success. “We thank all our partners for being part of today's match," she said, "it shows their commitment for a better society. I salute their zeal to bring joy into the lives of the parents of these girls. I am grateful."