Eighteen of the schoolgirls who were abducted from Chibok and later rescued have graduated from a federal government vocational training and empowerment programme. The ceremony was held at Modibbo Adama University in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, where government officials, parents and other stakeholders gathered to witness the milestone for the young women.
According to the account of the event, each of the 18 rescued Chibok girls received a cash grant of one million naira as they completed the programme. The graduates were also presented with certificates and starter packs, and that presentation was described as the high point of the graduation ceremony.
Of the 18 graduates, 14 were trained in tailoring while four were trained in catering services. The rehabilitation programme was structured to combine formal academic education with technical and vocational education and training, giving the young women both schooling and practical, income-generating skills for the future.
The graduating group was joined by 30 others who had earlier successfully completed their studies at the American University, Yola. Together, the two sets of graduates were presented at the ceremony as a demonstration of what education can achieve for young people who lived through the abduction and its aftermath.
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the girls as having overcome enormous challenges and emerged stronger from the experience. She commended President Bola Tinubu for what she called his commitment to the education and empowerment of the rescued Chibok girls.
The occasion revived memories of one of Nigeria's darkest moments. The abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok, in Borno State, by Boko Haram insurgents in April 2014 drew global attention to the devastating impact of violent extremism on education and on affected communities across the region.
For the graduates themselves, the day was framed as one of renewal rather than tragedy. "My voice has returned. My hope is alive. My dream is still becoming," one of them said. "I am a Chibok girl, a girl with a dream. I am no longer a symbol of tragedy. I am a symbol of triumph, of courage, of education, freedom and possibility. And I still dare to dream."