#BringBackOurGirls condolence message on the death of UK Member of Parliament Jo Cox
17 June 2016
Yesterday, 16 June 2016, Jo Cox, Member of Parliament representing Batley and Spen was shot and stabbed in her West Yorkshire constituency, 6 days to her 42nd birthday.
This mother of two young children was known for her warm heart and compassion, as one who was wholly committed to serving others in her community, making a difference in it, and the world at large.
‘Jo believed in a better world and she fought for it every day of her life with an energy and zest for life that would have exhausted most people’, her husband Brendan Cox said.
‘She would have wanted two things above all else to happen now: one, that our precious children are bathed in love; and two, that we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her. Hate doesn’t have a creed, race, or religion; it is poisonous’, he concluded. These we can relate with.
The good people of Great Britain held numerous #BringBackOurGirls marches across many cities in the bond of our shared humanity 2 years ago calling for the rescue of our abducted Chibok schoolgirls when the news broke; and continue to keep faith till date.
Her Majesty’s government was among the first to offer support to Nigeria to not only help quickly rescue our girls, but to help strengthen our military to annihilate the terrorists who abducted them, and end the insurgency. Her Majesty’s government till date keeps faith to this promise, and as recently as last April reiterated her commitment through the UK High Commissioner to Nigeria.
The UK Parliament has been an ally in our cause. The plight of our Chibok girls is continually a subject of discussion on its floors, and as recently as 2 May, ten UK parliamentarians on a working visit to Nigeria paid our movement a solidarity visit in Abuja, at our meeting grounds Unity Fountain.
As a movement therefore, we do not only feel a sense of sympathy, but deep empathy on the death of Ms Cox, especially in the cold, callous, and brutish manner. We offer our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, constituents, the people, government, and parliament of the United Kingdom. We all are in this together.
Our movement shall be paying a condolence visit at the British High Commission in due course.
Thank you.
Sesugh Akume
#BringBackOurGirls Spokesperson