By Vera Anyagafu, Prisca Sam-Duru, Providence Obuh & Tolulope Falola Monsur Olowoopejo

LAGOS—Participants at Vanguard Women Roundtable Conference, yesterday, concluded that the abduction of Chibok girls is not the biggest issue facing the country but described it as a mere distraction from major issues.

The conference which focused on Violence Against Women and girls in the country, is titled: “The Plight of Women and Children in the Face of Emerging Terrorism: Which Way Forward?” was held at Vanguard Conference Room.

The participants identified two major problems affecting the country as “mass ignorance of the people and decadence in the family unit.”

According to them, “Nigeria is a sad country with sad citizens. Chibok girls is not the biggest issue but a major distraction from major issues troubling Nigeria. The problem is that Nigeria is very complex. Nigeria is a pathetic state and Chibok girls issue is a tip of the iceberg.”

They pointed out that abducting women and children is with the intention to create fear in people and that the Boko Haram sect is a political group which does not have ideology.

“Some members are there because of poverty and so they are paid better by their sponsors who go about recruiting young children.”

However, a section of the participants disagreed with the allusion that poverty is the cause of loss of our value system rather blaming it on the take over of schools by government.

In particular, they maintained that Nigeria made the mistake of just moving on after the civil war without addressing post-war issues as well as a way forward: “Nigeria must separate state from religion,” they said.

On education, the participants said that it is what changes and empowers individuals as well as nations, adding that lack of adequate structures is the bane of quality education.