Wake up, fight against evil ideologies: Ezekwesili

The world leadership needs to wake up and fight against evil ideologies like Boko Haram and Islamic State, Obiageli Ezekwesili, the co-founder of Nigerian "Bring Back Our Girls" campaign, said here on Friday.

At a day-long summit on "Women in the world - India", Ezekwesili in conversation with journalist Rajdeep Sardesai said, "The global leaders need to wake up against the terror groups like ISIS and Boko Haram."

"These men in the terror groups are not greater than the army. Let the leaders of world rise against them," she said.

Ezekwesili, leading the campaign to bring back the 276 Nigerian schoolgirls abducted by Nigerian terror group Boko Haram in April 2014, said she has kept her hope of getting back the girls alive.

"I am always hopeful that I will bring back those girls. Hope never dies. It enacts action."

Ezekwesili, a former vice president of World Bank's Africa division, disregarded the claim that religion perpetuates violence.

"I do not believe any religion in the world allows killing of an innocent. It is not about religion," she said.

Talking about the fate of hundreds of abducted Chibok girls, she said the Boko Haram men have strange ideas about sexuality. "These deluded fellows have a strange idea about sexuality. They have done things which are an insult to basic human dignity."

She also slammed the world leaders, saying: "Leaders sit and watch renegade groups become monsters."

"Leaders who are sitting in comfort zones need to come out of that because citizens cannot wait anymore. They need action to be taken."

At the time, when the world is under threat of attacks by terror groups like Islamic State, Ezekwesili said, "Every time we lose a single innocent human being, it is a loss to the whole humanity."

The day-long summit being held in Taj Mahal Hotel here has been organised by Tina Brown Live Media in association with the New York Times.