Across Africa: 'Mothers of Chibok', a story of sadness and strength

Across Africa: 'Mothers of Chibok', a story of sadness and strength

From Across Africa by FRANCE 24 English

January 29, 2026 · 12 min

About this episode

Joel Kachi Benson discusses the impact of the Chibok abduction on families and the importance of African storytelling.

Emmy Award-winning Nigerian director Joel Kachi Benson is Georja Calvin-Smith's guest this week. He is still journeying alongside the families marked by the horrifying abduction of their daughters 12 years ago by Boko Haram. The violation has faded from international headlines, but Benson has kept the Chibok community in his spotlight. He speaks of the dignity offered by African-crafted documentaries. His film "Mothers of Chibok" appreciates its subjects' determination to be role models for their remaining children.

People in this episode

Host: Georja Calvin-Smith

Guest: Joel Kachi Benson

Topics covered

  • Chibok abduction
  • documentary filmmaking
  • family resilience
  • Boko Haram
  • African narratives

Keywords

  • Chibok
  • Boko Haram
  • documentary
  • family
  • resilience
  • African cinema
  • Emmy Award

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Boko Haram

Books & works: Mothers of Chibok

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