The usual fun and fanfare that usually accompany the annual celebration of Children’s Day was lost in Lagos on Tuesday.

Different groups, rather than celebrate, used the day to clamour for the release of the schoolgirls abducted at the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

Some of the groups which participated in the “Bring Back our Girls” protests across the state included the Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Lagos Mainland chapter; Nation Builders Network; Nigerians United Against Terrorism, led by Mrs. Lailai Daniels; Association for Formidable Educational Development, led by Mrs. Ifedola Dada; Al-Mu’minaat Social Advocacy Project, led by Mrs. Sherifah Yusuf-Ajibade; The Young Muslims Association, led by Abdulazeez Ajala; and Pure Heart Foundation, led by Mr. Abdulraheem Lukman.

Other groups were Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area; and League of Muslim Schools’ Proprietors, Lagos State chapter.

The protesting groups congregated at different areas with placards and marched across the state. Some of the placards held by them read; “Nigeria Belong to All of Us, Let us Unite Against Terrorism; Bring Back Our Girls Alive; Schooling is not a Crime, Bring Back Our Girls; Islam Supports Education; Muslims Are Not Terrorists; GEJ: Stop the Killings, Stop Terrorism.”

The Association of Proprietors of Private Schools marched to the secretariat of the Yaba Local Council Development Area. They sent a letter to the President Goodluck Jonathan through the chairman.

The rally, which comprised pupils and staff of private schools in the area took off from Ozone e-center, Sabo, through Herbert Macaulay Road to the council secretariat. The Chairman, Olajide Jimoh, urged Nigerians to be prayerful, saying that it was only God that would deliver the children from their abductors. He also took time to pray for the children present at the rally.

Also, the protesters that went to the Governor’s Office in Alausa were attended to by policemen as Governor Babatunde Fashola and other members of his government had gone for the Children’s Day parade at the Police College, Ikeja.

Speaking on behalf of AFED, Mrs Ifedola Dada said, “What is happening in Nigeria is heart-breaking. We are tired of empty promises. We are here to ask Governor Babatunde Fashola to tell our President to ensure the immediate release of the abducted girls.

“They are our children and each day they spend with the terrorists brings us agony. We don’t want them to be exchanged for anyone or other terrorists and we want them to be brought back hale and hearty.”

Similarly, PHF leader, Mr. Abdulraheem Lukman, condemned the abduction of the schoolgirls.

He said, “We condemn the kidnapping of our innocent girls by this diabolical group.” On her part, Mrs. Sherifah Yususf-Ajibade of SAP said it was sad that two months after the school girls were abducted, the Federal Government had failed to bring them back and curb the insurgents.

Fifteen-year-old Shukrah Yusuf of Al-Siddiq College, Mile 12, who joined in the protest said, “When I heard it, I felt very sad that schoolgirls were abducted.

“I want the government to free them. The last time we came here, the Deputy Governor said we should pray, but I want gobernment to take action about it.”

At the Gani Fawehinmi park in Ojota, celebrities and youths under the aegis of Nation Builders Network converged to demand the release of the schoolgirls.

The celebrities, who were dressed in red crested “Bring Back Our Girls” T-shirt, took turn to address the crowd.

An actress, Rachael Oniga, pleaded with the abductors to release the girls, who she said were the future of the country. She called on Nigerians to be security conscious and to stand together behind the President in the fight against terrorism.

“Let us use the same love and passion with which we support our national teams during football matches to support our leaders in their effort to get these girls out of captivity,” she said.

Another artiste, Gloria Young, said she was sad even though the day was meant to be a happy one.

She said, “Children’s Day for some of us who are mothers is usually a day to make ourselves and our children happy. But we cannot always be thinking of ourselves. Those girls could have been our daughters. Is there any mother here who will be happy that her child is away from her for so long?”

Yet another actress, Florence Onuma, observed that the nation and her leaders were passing through trying times.

“When I look at my daughter, I say it could just be her. I can imagine the trauma these girls are going through in the hands of strangers that have lost their humanity. These girls deserve to be happy on a day like this. We must all stand together with the government at this time. We appeal to Boko Haram to release our girls now,” she said.

(PUNCH)