Yesterday10th December, 2014, I watched a remarkable teenager, child activist, MALALA YOUSAFZAI received the Nobel Peace Prize 2014 at the Award ceremony in Oslo. She and Kailash Satyarthi won for this year. This is the
highest honour in the world!
This young lady is the youngest Peace Prize Laureate of all time. She joins the likes of Nelson Mandela, Bishop Tutu, Dr Martin Luther King jnr etc.
Mr. Thorbjorn Jagland, the Chairman, Norwegian Nobel Committee during the presentation speech said
During her speech, Malala made people laughed when she said she happens to be the only recipient who has two younger brothers. It was funny but true. The camera showed her siblings who were still children between six and thirteen sitting with her parents. Most of the recipients have always been old men and women like her co recipient, Satyarthi, who have fought the systems in their different Countries for a better society.
This young lady is the youngest Peace Prize Laureate of all time. She joins the likes of Nelson Mandela, Bishop Tutu, Dr Martin Luther King jnr etc.
Mr. Thorbjorn Jagland, the Chairman, Norwegian Nobel Committee during the presentation speech said
Both are Champion of Peace. This they are not only behind desk but in practice. The road to democracy and freedom is paved with knowledge. Taliban and IS dislike knowledge because they know that it is an important condition for freedom. Attendance at School especially by girls deprives Taliban, IS, Boko Haram and similar movement of power.
Malala vision was clear right from the start. Girls had a self evident right to education.
During her speech, Malala made people laughed when she said she happens to be the only recipient who has two younger brothers. It was funny but true. The camera showed her siblings who were still children between six and thirteen sitting with her parents. Most of the recipients have always been old men and women like her co recipient, Satyarthi, who have fought the systems in their different Countries for a better society.
Malala has shown that age is no barrier to how far you can go to stand up for, and fight for what is right. She has proved to all that being young is a strength and not a disadvantage.
Malala, as a little girl then, spoke out against the tailban's campaign to stop girls going to schools in her village. She with the help of her father defied this ' girls stay off school' campaign and was going to school. This did not go down well with the Talibans and they sent assassination squad, to find and kill her.
On that fateful day, she was on a school bus with other young girls, when the assassins burst in with guns, and asked "which one is Malala?" Sensing that it could lead to certain death for her and the other school children in the bus if she kept quiet, she responded and identified herself. Her bravery, boldness and courage earned her a gun shot in the head. I am sure that the assassins thought she had died with that point blank shot to her head.
God who watches and protects innocent children saved her that day. She survived the gun shot and was flown to America where several surgeries were performed on her. She spent several months in intensive cares receiving treatment.
By the Grace of God, she recovered . After recovery, she sets up her own foundation to fight for the rights of girls, globally to go to school. By the way, she is still a teenager.
When I watched her on CNN some years ago being interviewed by Amanpour, I saw a young girl who had had to mature within months. Her near death experience changed her and made her more determined to bring about a better deal for the oppressed girls. She made fun of the talibans that if they had known they would not have tried to kill her. She said her misfortune turn out to be a blessing. She said she can now read, write and speak English.
Congratulations to Malala. I pray this amazing young Lady, will not loose focus and not be distracted from this mission and responsibility that fate has placed on her lap. When she came to Nigeria to plead with President Goodluck Jonathan to rescue the abducted Chibok School girls, she matched action with words by donating to the cause from her foundation. Unfortunately, months after, the Chibok school girls are yet to be rescued. The girls have been turned to suicide bombers. Almost on a daily basis now, female suicide bombers are on the prowl, killing, maiming, destroying and burning properties.
I hope our young ones can draw inspiration from this remarkable and brave young Lady to be useful for themselves and their society. Malala is admired by all now for her noble qualities, courage and bravery. You too can.
Opportunity abounds. Grap them and do something good with them. Encourage people around you to live and lead a productive Life.
