Daughters of Chibok

In 2014 the sleepy agrarian community of Chibok (Borno State, North East Nigeria) was thrust into the global spotlight when the dreaded, anti-women education, terrorist group Boko Haram stormed the town at night and abducted 276 teenage schoolgirls from their dormitories. The world watched in shock and horror as videos of the girls, surrounded by machine gun- wielding terrorists, surfaced all over the internet and satellite channels across the globe. The VR deals with the aftermath of the kidnappings, and explores topical global issues of gender rights and the right to education.

I use immersive storytelling to amplify the voices of those who would ordinarily not be heard. In January 2019, five years after the kidnap, I made my first trip to Chibok and I met Yana, woman leader and mother of Rifkatu Galang, one of the missing girls. Like many others, Yana can’t move on—she still washes her daughter’s clothes and packs them in a small bag, waiting for her return. Many mothers in Chibok feel the world has moved on and forgotten about them, their pain and grief. I hope this film reminds us that Chibok is still here, 112 girls are still missing. The greatest tragedy will be when we choose to forget.

PRODUCTION: Joel Benson - VR360 Stories
15 Maye Street, Off Commercial Avenue, Sabo Yaba
234-01 – Lagos, Nigeria
Tel. 08033543842
Mob. 2348033543842
kachybenson@yahoo.com
http://www.vr360stories.com