Edo: The recent call to bar of David Ayuba, Peter Isaac, Rifkatu Ali, Saminu Wakili, and Nathan Ibrahim, all from Borno who found refuge in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Edo more than a decade ago, bespeaks resilience and determination. Their smiles alongside Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, Coordinator of the Home for the Needy IDP Camp in Edo, send messages of victory.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the quintet's journey began with fleeing the Boko Haram insurgency that claimed the lives of their families and destroyed their homes. Their flight from insurgents made them refugees or IDPs in distant Edo; but against all odds, they were unstoppable in their educational pursuit and in achieving what they aspired to become in life. "I am the happiest person today to be frank; because of where they are coming from, and what we all went through to be what they are today," Folorunsho said.
The Boko Haram insurgency, which started in Borno in 2002, spread rapidly across the North-East. Between 2010 and 2015, the insurgents launched several attacks on police stations, schools, and churches in Borno. It is reported that more than 2 million displaced persons are in IDP camps in Maiduguri, with widespread food insecurity, and thousands of others scattered across IDP camps throughout the country. Available data indicates that more than 1,400 schools have been reported destroyed, and agriculture and trade have been disrupted, exacerbating poverty.
According to the IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) in Nigeria, in its round 49 of its tracking matrix, there are more than 2 million IDPs in the six states of Nigeria's North-East. Wakili recounted his experience, describing how he used a bicycle to bring foodstuffs to villages already sacked before his community, Gwoza, was attacked in 2014. He dropped out of school and fled to Cameroon and eventually reached the IDP camp managed by the Home for the Needy Foundation in Uhorgua, Edo, in 2015.
At the camp, Wakili and other survivors received intensive care and were put back in school. "I was in Senior Secondary School 1 then, but today, I give God the glory for using Folorunsho and other workers in the camp to help achieve our desire in life," Wakili said. Despite challenges like paying school fees and feeding, they persevered, thanks to guidance, counseling, and support from the camp management. Wakili advised other IDPs still in school to remain focused on their studies.
The stories of Ayuba, Ali, Isaac, and Ibrahim are similar to Wakili's, except Ibrahim reached the camp in 2013. They fled their communities in Borno to find refuge in the IDP camp in Uhorgua, Edo, where they found family, education, and eventually realized their dream of becoming lawyers. Despite facing hunger and harassment over unpaid school fees, they remained determined not to disappoint themselves or the camp management.
Meanwhile, a jubilant Folorunsho shared that the IDPs endured numerous hardships but stood together to make their dreams a reality. "In the next few weeks and months, we are going to have more in different fields graduating from universities," he said, urging support for vulnerable children to prevent them from falling into vices.
The Home for the Needy has been operational since 1992, caring for orphans, vulnerable children, and displaced persons. The center has faced challenges, including the cessation of government support over the last eight years, which has made operations tougher. However, they continue to receive support from various individuals and organizations, and Folorunsho remains hopeful for the future.
So far, more than 85 IDPs from the camp have graduated, including practicing lawyers, magistrates, and professionals in other fields. "Few months ago, five of our IDPs graduated as medical doctors, and some others as pharmacists; between this year and next year, we are going to have more than 40 accountants," he said.
Stakeholders emphasize the inspirational nature of the story of Wakili and his peers, urging both government and private entities to bolster support for the Home for the Needy IDP Camp in Edo.