Nigeria, July 13 -- Congratulations, Nigeria! For a change, we are singing songs of joy, not elegies for the dead. We huddle together under the embrace of hope and joy as we gather to celebrate an extraordinary reunion with our 'lost but found' compatriots - 39 pupils and seven teachers abducted from schools in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State - whose 56-day ordeal ended last week.

Across ethnic, religious, and political divides, shouts of joy have been echoing through the length and breadth of the nation in thanksgiving to God for the return of the captives who have shown unwavering strength in the face of adversity. These heroes, heroines, and juvenile heroes have emerged, not as mere survivors, but as beacons of resilienc...