British Journalist Isha Sesay Donates Laptops to Chibok Girls at AUN

By Newsroom

Administrator

Newsroom

Posted: April 15, 2025 at 9:19 pm, Updated: April 15, 2025 at 9:19 pm

Chibok girls studying at the American University of Nigeria (AUN)

Isha Sesay Donates Laptops to Chibok Girls at AUN

They were taken from their school by force. Eleven years later, they stood tall with laptops in their hands, facing the world with hope and courage.

On Monday, April 14, 2025, 68 Chibok girls studying at the American University of Nigeria (AUN) gathered in Yola, Adamawa State. They weren’t just students. They were survivors. And this time, they came bearing gifts—laptops donated by British journalist and humanitarian, Isha Sesay.

The event marked the 11th anniversary of the tragic 2014 Chibok school abduction, when Boko Haram terrorists kidnapped 276 girls from their school in Borno State. The world cried out. Movements were launched. Hashtags were shared. Now, years later, some of those girls are finally reclaiming their future through education.

The celebration was colorful and filled with emotion. These young women, once seen only as victims, now walked confidently as scholars and leaders. They stood before their university community, showing the world what they had become: strong, determined, and educated.

Isha Sesay, who gained international fame for her coverage of the Chibok girls’ story during her time at CNN, didn’t just give the laptops. She gave them something more—belief.

Back on January 29, she joined the students virtually from the American Space via Zoom. She spoke from the heart.

“You are not defined by the darkness of your past,” she told them. “These tools are keys to unlocking your potential—proof that the world believes in your future.”

Her words were clear. Her message strong. She reminded them that they are not alone, and that the world still stands with them.

Dr. Dewayne Frazier, President of AUN, echoed her words in his own powerful speech. He made one thing very clear: these girls are no longer just “Chibok girls.”

“These are not the ‘Chibok girls’ frozen in time as victims,” he declared. “They are Chibok women—mothers, students, sisters, and role models.”

He praised their strength. He highlighted their journey. He called them scholars shaping their destinies, and said they were thriving within the AUN family.

But he didn’t stop there. Dr. Frazier called out the real enemy that night in 2014—not just the terrorists, but the attack on education itself.

“That night in 2014, terrorists targeted not a religion, but education,” he said. “Their crime was hatred for progress, for light. Yet here, a decade later, education triumphs.”

It was a reminder to everyone that what happened in Chibok wasn’t just about one village or one group of girls. It was an attack on learning, on growth, and on every child’s right to a future.

The university president also gave credit to those who’ve stood by these girls throughout the years. He mentioned organizations like the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, individuals like Stephen Basari, and the Yulish Bugu Foundation, led by Aisha Bugu. They were part of a global network of advocates and supporters who never gave up.

Their support made sure these girls had the chance to return to school, pursue degrees, and rebuild their lives.

Dr. Frazier closed with words that rang out like a call to action.

“Life has no rearview mirror,” he said. “The future is yours to shape. We will never cease fighting until every survivor is home, educated, and empowered.”

The laptops themselves weren’t just gadgets. They were tools. Tools that will help these girls do research, write papers, build careers, and tell their own stories. In today’s world, a laptop can be as powerful as a voice.

And now these young women have both.

Ms. Sesay’s support goes beyond charity. She’s been deeply involved in telling the Chibok story through her book, “Beneath the Tamarind Tree,” which documents the kidnapping and the global campaign that followed. Her commitment to these girls has stayed strong.

Her laptop donation, while symbolic, is also deeply practical. It gives each student the chance to compete in a fast-moving digital world.

The 11th anniversary event wasn’t just about remembering. It was about celebrating how far they’ve come—and looking forward to where they’re going.

Many of the girls at AUN are studying different courses, from social sciences to business and computer studies. Some hope to work in government. Others want to be teachers, lawyers, or entrepreneurs. Each one has a dream. And thanks to the gift of education, those dreams are now within reach.

The Chibok tragedy remains a dark chapter in Nigeria’s history. But events like this show that darkness can’t win forever.

In a world full of bad news, this was a story of hope. Of courage. Of giving. And most importantly—of rising again.

As one student whispered at the end of the event, holding her new laptop tight: “We are no longer forgotten. We are finally heard.”