DETROIT — Southfield Mayor Brenda L. Lawrence and Vice Chancellor Dr. Omobonike Odegbami of Wayne County Community College District along with concerned citizens will speak at a rally at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 10th 2014 to demand the return of more than 200 abducted Nigerian school girls to their families. Agents of Hope, a Detroit-based non-profit committed to education freedom and financial literacy, is also a key supporter of the rally and movement.

The rally, open to the public at Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 East Warren Ave – in Detroit, hashtag #Detroit234BBOG – is designed to send a positive global message calling for an end to violence, commodification, oppression and of course abductions against women and young girls worldwide.

Demonstrators will wear crowns, headwraps, and caps to symbolize solidarity and freedom for the 270-plus schoolgirls who were kidnapped from their boarding schools in Northeastern Nigerian, and a second recent abduction on May 7 of eight school girls in Borno State, to prevent them from attending school. Boko Haram claims responsibility for the crime and allegedly refers to the young women as “slaves.” They have alleged to have actually sold several of the young girls into forced marriage. The group actions are depriving many young people from the required education and knowledge needed to excel in their societies.

“Women and young girls are not commodities. No human being is a commodity,” said Detroit community activist and African dancer Fatou-Seydi Sarr. “We are hosting this rally to show support for all women and young girls around the world. All have the right to equal rights and it is unfathomable that in 2014 there are still women who are viewed as property. This is not acceptable and the world cannot accept, ignore, or look away. We demand the young girls be released to their parents and protected while they continue their education.”

Rally demonstrators will gather on the outside Patio of the Museum Cafe Latimer.

Comments

comments