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Time Magazine Names Muhammadu Buhari In ‘Most Influential 100’

Three Nigerians, including President-Elect Mohammadu Buhari and #BringBackOurGirls Champion, Oby Ezekwesili, were on Thursday named in Time Magazine’s annual ‘100 Most Influential People’ in the world.

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Their happy place in the list was immediately countered by the presence of the nation’s third entry: Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, in a list which includes a diversity of figures. 

“Most Americans do not yet recognize his name, but the citizens of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, know Abubakar Shekau all too well: he is the most violent killer their country has ever seen,” his citation says in the category of Leaders  

“By most accounts, Boko Haram has killed more than 10,000 people and is spreading into neighboring countries. Shekau’s latest action may finally summon a U.S. response: he has publicly aligned his group with ISIS, the terrorist group that holds territory in Syria and Iraq and has expanded its reach into Yemen and Libya.”

Other categories of the 12th edition of the Time 100 are Titans, Icons, Artists and Pioneers.

In their brief profile on President-elect Buhari, the leading international weekly newsmagazine published around the world from New York, describes Buhari as the “new choice for Nigeria,” and a born-again democrat, adding that he has made history becoming the first candidate to democratically remove a sitting Nigerian president.

Writing on Ms. Oby Ezekwesili, a former federal minister and leader of the BringBackOurGirls movement which has become a global phenomenon, the Time Magazine noted that without her, the awareness created about the abducted Chibok girls would have taken even more time.

According to the Time magazine profile on the former Education Minister and immediate Past Vice President of the World Bank for Africa, “some people will say she is too loudmouthed. The loud mouth is needed. People hear it.”

Writing further on the former Nigerian Minister, Ezekwesili, Time magazine added a footnote commentary on her stating that “even before she became the champion of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, Ezekwesili was already a leading voice in Nigerian politics.”

The international new magazine noted that she co-founded anti-corruption group Transparency International, served as Nigeria’s Minister of Education in 2006 and as Vice President of World Bank‘s Africa division from 2007-2012.

“After militant group Boko Haram kidnapped over 200 girls from a Chibok school, Ezekwesili helped organize a global campaign to demand their immediate return. The girls have now been missing for over a year, and the government’s failure to rescue them was a key issue that contributed to President-elect Muhammadu Buhari’s victory over incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in the recent Nigerian elections,” the magazine stated.

Other names included in this year’s list which hits the newsstands today Friday April 17 are US President Barack Obama, Pope Francis, Hillary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai, US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, Raul Castro of Cuba and Janet Yellen of the American Reserve Bank, among several others.

To highlight the honor the list conveys, Time magazine got prominent individuals to author the profile the individuals named on the list including such names like Oprah Winfrey.

An evening of celebration of the Time 100 winners has been scheduled for next week April 21, here in New York.

Below are the profiles on the three Nigerians named in the list Time.

BUHARI-A new choice for Nigeria

Muhammadu Buhari made history in March by becoming the first candidate to oust a sitting Nigerian President through the ballot box. Now he has to live up to voters’ expectations. From battling the Boko Haram insurgency to tackling endemic corruption, Buhari has many challenges ahead. The greatest may be overcoming his past as a military ruler who seized power in 1983. Already the born-again democrat is demonstrating the inclusivity necessary to lead a nation riven by ethnic and religious tensions. “We must begin to heal the wounds and work toward a better future,” he said in his April 1 victory speech. “We do this first by extending a hand of friendship and conciliation across the political divide.” It’s a promising start for a President-to-be who wants to leave a legacy to match the historic conditions of his election.

OBY EZEKWESILI

Like northern Uganda, where I live, northern Nigeria is very isolated. For many years, the women who were abducted from our region remained invisible. So although I have not met Obiageli Ezekwesili, I know the #BringBackOurGirls campaign that she championed is very important. It would have taken a long time to raise awareness about the girls taken by Boko Haram without her using her platform as a former Minister of Education.

We need to remember that these girls are undergoing psychological and maybe physical torture. So I love that the campaign says, “Bring back our girls,” and not “Bring back my child.” Everybody is in unison with the parents and the relatives. Everyone is feeling their pain. Everyone will be ready to embrace the girls and offer them care and compassion if they are rescued or manage to escape.

It has been a year, and the girls haven’t been rescued, but she has made a difference by speaking about it. Not just speaking but shouting. I know some people will say she is too loudmouthed. The loud mouth is needed. People hear it.

A further Time Magazine’s footnote on OBY

Even before she became the champion of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, Ezekwesili was already a leading voice in Nigerian politics. Known as “Aunty Oby” by some young Nigerians, she founded anti-corruption group Transparency International, served as Nigeria’s Minister of Education in 2006 and as Vice President of World Bank‘s Africa division from 2007-2012. After militant group Boko Haram kidnapped over 200 girls from a Chibok school, Ezekwesili helped organize a global campaign to demand their immediate return. The girls have now been missing for over a year, and the government’s failure to rescue them was a key issue that contributed to President-elect Muhammadu Buhari’s victory over incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in the recent Nigerian elections.

Scourge of Africa-SHEKAU

Most Americans do not yet recognize his name, but the citizens of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, know Abubakar Shekau all too well: he is the most violent killer their country has ever seen. Shekau took over the terrorist organization Boko Haram in 2009 after the group had been weakened by Nigerian government forces.

Shekau, who is believed to be in his 30s, began to stage increasingly daring kidnapping and killing raids on schools, churches and mosques thought by Boko Haram to be violating their interpretation of Islam. The taking of over 200 schoolgirls in April 2014 brought Boko Haram into the international spotlight.

By most accounts, Boko Haram has killed more than 10,000 people and is spreading into neighboring countries. Shekau’s latest action may finally summon a U.S. response: he has publicly aligned his group with ISIS, the terrorist group that holds territory in Syria and Iraq and has expanded its reach into Yemen and Libya.

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Oby Ezekwesili