By Donu Kogbara
The World Economic Forum, which took place in Abuja this week, was supposed to highlight the good things about our nation and be an image-enhancing, investment-attracting triumph for the Nigerian Government and People.

But it was totally overshadowed by the ongoing missing schoolgirls saga.

Many officials had regarded the World Economic Forum as a golden opportunity to divert attention from the Chibok abductions and boast about our economic potential to a global audience. But they wound up being ambushed by foreign journalists demanding straight answers to awkward questions about the Jonathan Administration’s spectacular failure to rescue the teenage captives.

Needless to say, the interviewees couldn’t provide any credible explanations.

Meanwhile, angry protestors, including big shots like American Congresswomen, were taking to the streets in various Nigerian and overseas locations. Waving placards and wearing T-shirts emblazoned with slogans like “Save Our Girls”, they accused Jonathan of ineptitude and callousness.

The resulting international press coverage was excruciating…with countless respected publications and TV channels adding analyses of the government’s performance in other areas to their comments about the kidnapped kids and saying that Jonathan and his team were corrupt as well as unfit to rule.

And let’s not forget the equally injurious impact of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, which were ablaze with mocking and scathing criticisms of President Jonathan and his spouse, Dame Patience…whose decision to add fuel to the raging fire I really don’t understand and will briefly dwell on.

The First Lady took it upon herself to wade into the Chibok fray and allowed herself to be filmed making unwise remarks in pidgin English and sobbing in a somewhat theatrical manner, while mopping her eyes with a large andkerchief.

Within hours, the video of her performance had gone viral on the Internet; and she became the butt of a thousand jokes and insults, with foreign as well as Nigerian viewers describing her as a Nollywood actress and illiterate who was shedding crocodile tears and disgracing her husband and country.

I don’t know why The Dame exposed herself in this way or why Jonathan doesn’t exert more control over his Madame, for her own sake as well as his.

I also don’t know why Jonathan insisted on hosting a big event at a time when he was under siege and struggling – unsuccessfully – to deal with a terrible crisis.

The World Economic Forum? More like The World Humiliation Forum!

As a friend of mine said, during a gloomy discussion about Nigeria’s ruined reputation yesterday: “This situation is Beyond Embarrassing.”

I’ve just been told that Michelle Obama has joined the protest online!

Boko haram – a couple of observations

Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram’s leader, has subsequently released a video in which he says that Allah has commanded him to sell his victims.

The thing that struck me when I was watching this twitching, grinning, psychotic beast talking is that he is obviously mentally unstable and probably on drugs.

Boko Haram has claimed that it abducted the female Chibok students to punish them for seeking Western education, which it regards as anti-Islamic.

Many people have asked why an organisation that is virulently opposed to Western education frequently uses items that are products of Western education – cars, weapons, phones, audio-visual equipment, etc.

My favourite comment on this matter came from a Facebook post in which a Nigerian guy wryly wondered whether the machine gun that Shekau was brandishing during his video appearance was made by a native herbalist!

Even in the midst of tragedy, there can be moments of humour.

A sensible move

I was extremely relieved when I heard that President Jonathan has finally admitted that he needs foreigners to help him rescue the Chibok children.

He should ignore those who are berating him for seeking external support, on the grounds that he has, by doing so, shamed us and made himself look weak.

My view is that there is nothing shameful about humbly acknowledging your limitations and reaching out to counterparts like David Cameron and Barack Obama who have superior resources, especially when fragile young ladies are at risk of being raped, murdered and sold like chattels and slaves.

Of course it’s unfortunate when a leader comes across as bewildered and paralysed, rather than as dynamic and confident. But I and many others would have been even more fed up with Jonathan than we are at the moment if he HADN’T put his hands up and said: “I can’t get good results on my own”.

As I said in last week’s column: While bitter complaints about the government’s inadequate handling of this nightmare are legitimate, we should remember that even Western nations have also found it very difficult to outwit terrorists.

So let us please just thank God that they are willing to share the substantial counter-insurgency experience that they’ve gained over the years with us.