Beneath the Tamarind Tree: A Story of Courage, Family, and the Lost Schoolgirls of Boko Haram

by Isha Sesay (Author and Narrator)

“It is no accident that the places in the world where we see the most instability are those in which the rights of women and girls are denied. Isha Sesay’s indispensable and gripping account of the brutal abduction of Nigerian schoolgirls by Boko Haram terrorists provides a stark reminder of the great unfinished business of the 21st century: equality for girls and women around the world.”— Hillary Rodham Clinton
The first definitive account of the lost girls of Boko Haram and why their story still matters—by celebrated international journalist Isha Sesay.





In the early morning of April 14, 2014, the militant Islamic group Boko Haram violently burst into the small town of Chibok, Nigeria, and abducted 276 girls from their school dorm rooms. From poor families, these girls were determined to make better lives for themselves, but pursuing an education made them targets, resulting in one of the most high-profile abductions in modern history. While the Chibok kidnapping made international headlines, and prompted the #BringBackOurGirls movement, many unanswered questions surrounding that fateful night remain about the girls’ experiences in captivity, and where many of them are today.



In Beneath the Tamarind Tree, Isha Sesay tells this story as no one else can. Originally from Sierra Leone, Sesay led CNN’s Africa reporting for more than a decade, and she was on the front lines when this story broke. With unprecedented access to a group of girls who made it home, she follows the journeys of Priscilla, Saa, and Dorcas in an uplifting tale of sisterhood and survival.



Sesay delves into the Nigerian government’s inadequate response to the kidnapping, exposes the hierarchy of how the news gets covered, and synthesizes crucial lessons about global national security. She also reminds us of the personal sacrifice required of journalists to bring us the truth at a time of growing mistrust of the media. Beneath the Tamarind Tree is a gripping read and a story of resilience with a soaring message of hope at its core, reminding us of the ever-present truth that progress for all of us hinges on unleashing the potential of women.

Genres: Nonfiction, Africa, History, Memoir, Biography, True Crime, Audiobook

13 pages, Audible Audio

First published July 9, 2019

About the author

Isha Sesay is an award-winning journalist who led the CNN team that won a 2014 Peabody Award for coverage of the missing Chibok girls. She hosted CNN NewsCenter, headed the network’s Africa reporting for ten years, and received a Gracie Award for Outstanding Anchor for her coverage of the Chibok girls’ story. She is the founder of W.E. (Women Everywhere) Can Lead, a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing and empowering teenage girls to become Africa’s next generation of leaders. Of Sierra Leonean descent, Sesay grew up in Britain and holds a BA with honors in English from Trinity College, Cambridge University. She lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chibok, a small town in Nigeria is a town of hardworking men and women. Families that are poor in economy but rich in love. Where mothers pressure the fathers into allowing their daughters an education at great sacrifice to their family's income. They pin great hopes on their daughters education and their futures, a future that will not only benefit the girls but their families. Hopes of which their daughters are well aware. So it is at school the girls are, studying dilegently, homesick or not when Boko Haram pays a visit that will change many lives.

I remember the bring back our girls slogan, the kidnapping of over two hundred school girls of the ages between 13 and 18. The outrage of many, the power and terrorization by the Boko Haram in the Nigerian countryside, but a story that was soon forgotten. I often wondered what happened to these girls and was anxious to read this book. The girls were not though forgotten of all, not by their families of course but also not by our author, herself a native of Sierra Leone and now a CNN correspondent. She followed the story from beginning to the writing of this book, often at great danger and sacrifice. Some of the girls have been freed, but not all. The authors own story is told in alternating chapters with that of the girls she interviewed after their release. It is a valuable if difficult story to read but provides insight into the Nigerian government who still vows to bring back the remaining girls. It also provides information on how some of the girls are doing now as well as those of the parents of the girls who have not yet returned.

It is a well done, clearly laid out book from beginning to end. The author herself is the narrator and does an excellent job.

ARC from Edelweiss

[Agnesv · Rating 1 out of 5]

An important story poorly told.

This book is an opportunity lost. Sesay spends far too much time focused on herself. She brags about her reporting skills, and she discusses her own guilt, upbringing, education, and family far too much. This story is not about her. At one point she says "my eyes flashed." She also talks about the determined set of her chin when she confronts (and defeats, according to her) Nigerian politicians. These are not phrases one can use to describe oneself.
The chapters about the girls are written coldly and clinically, with weak attempts to inject emotion that fall flat. I appreciate the author's intent, but her writing style is one that reports the facts. It does not create a story with engaging, sympathetic characters. Given the topic, how is that even possible? I should have been in tears for the whole book, but the attempts to instill emotion were trite. I wanted to get to know the girls. I feel as if I've read their resumes. Casual, chatty phrases are used, such as when the girls "tuck" into breakfast. The author actually describes one girl as "whiney."
Sesay is a journalist, not a novelist, and the book suffers as a result.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s so many facts and dates mentioned,
politics, stories, government involvement, kidnap followings of four specific girls and what they and they’re families went through, commentaries, and personal sharing from the authors direct experience…
all intertwined & jumping all over the place ….
Besides the horrific tragic realities being hard to read, re-visit from the news we followed when this story first broke out —
I found the writing disjointed- a little clinical ….important… (with the best of intentions from the author)….but there was an aloofness in its ‘telling’ …
not exactly reader-written-friendly… or deeply intimate.
The journalistic writing often felt cold to me.

But I took a few messages away…
…..with the un-ending war in Afghanistan being overwhelming to digest for many of us —-
and other horrific news around the world ….
it’s easy to understand what the author said:
“Many Americans just want to focus on domestic concerns”…
But …..
she goes on to say that America cannot afford to turn their back on other countries. Globalization unification couldn’t be more urgent than today.
AGREE!!!
Killings, ambush, kidnappings, grief, unbelievable surreal events…..
Terrorism in the 21st-century has no order—-
The author’s message is important…..
she is encouraging us to expand the boundaries of our thinking…
we must fight to reshape our world —
mass abduction has opened our eyes globally….
and the fact remains that we are still in the middle of a huge epic struggle.

The power of pen
and paper, ….education, frightens leaders of Terrorism—
Understanding leadership in the 21st-century global terrorism is maddening….with a deep history failure.

This story, primarily focused on the April 14, 2014,
Kidnapping of 276 girls from a boarding school, in Chibok, Nigeria….by the militant group Boko Haram — most of us remember following ( at least parts), of this story in the news.
Today, 112 girls are still missing.

As you might have already guessed, this is not light bedtime reading.
It’s awful as can be to know that so many children are victims of horrific violence, hunger, abuse, so much injustice ugliness!!!!..

And now with the Israeli/ Palestinian devastation…
my pain tolerance is just so high.

[Karla Strand · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book-length account of the Boko Haram kidnapping of over 250 Chibok schoolgirls. This was the kidnapping that sparked the Bring Back Our Girls movement. I was really intrigued to read this book and learn more about this tragic and terrifying event. I did appreciate the information about what happened, which Sesay cobbled together from interviews of a few of the girls and their families, but I wanted more of this information. Scattered throughout stories of the girls, Sesay shares information about her own life, family, upbringing, and more. While this wasn't uninteresting, I just wanted more of the BBOG story. What was missing from the book for me was the history of Chibok, Boko Haram, information about gender roles, the school, the relations between Boko Haram and the local communities. I have no doubt that Isha Sesay could fill a memoir with interesting stories from her time as a CNN journalist and nonprofit founder, etc. but this book could've been filled with so much more info about the girls.

[Carmel Hanes · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the title indicates, this is the story about the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria in 2014. It is written by a journalist who followed the story as it unfolded, and who met with some of the first girls who escaped or were released. The narrative appears to provide a synopsis of what took place, as shared by a few of those kidnapped. As such, it centers on the personal stories of a handful of the girls involved. This gives the reader a close-up view of the incident and what life was like as the girls were held for more than two years. Interspersed with those chapters are others detailing the author's life and her pursuit of the story.

I enjoyed the sections of the story that provided information about what the girls went through; how they supported each other through the ordeal, how they found ways to resist the expectations of their captors, and what they did to survive their hardships. I appreciated learning more about the backdrop of politics and culture that played into the governmental response (or lack thereof) and the reasons the girls were taken in the first place. I was aware of this event when it was in the news, but did not know the details, nor understand the layers of politics involved in how it was addressed, and it was interesting to read an accounting of it.

The tone of some of the more political sections appeared to be less than objective, or even self-serving at times. The author appears to have some strong beliefs and they were apparent in the narrative. This might be off-putting to some if they are simply looking for a story about the girls and what happened to them.

While I celebrated the return of the 21 girls this story was based on, I was left wondering where the others were, and why more was not shared about their fate, or at least their continued absence.

[Koen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm embarrassed at how little i knew about this story. When, of 276 girls abducted from their school in the small Nigerian town of Chibok in 2014, to this day, over five years later, more than half have not returned, i should have been more aware. That is a tragedy of global proportions which deserves a much more prominent place in the spotlights. Mind you, i'm not (just) blaming the media for that. Although perhaps not enough, it has been featured in the news and it has been on my radar as well. But apparently i too, along with media's attention span, lost interest and all but forgot about it. That's an embarrassment.

So i'm glad this book is out and i'm glad to have read it. Apparently it's the first and, up until know, the only book about Boko Haram's abduction of the Chibok girls. In that sense it's an important book and i hope Sesay's work helps to keep, or better yet increases, pressure on the Nigerian and International governments to keep searching for the girls.

I found it a compelling read but nearing the end i certainly started to have some issues with it too.

Sesay tells the story of the girls, i think, the best she can. The story is far from complete and kind of clinical though. You'd expect a far more emotional telling. But, of the hundred odd girls that returned only a handful were willing to share the memories of their ordeals and there seems to have been a lot of reluctance by these pious and seemingly shy girls to share or remember everything. There's no corroborating so this is what it is. It seems to me.

Sesay interweaves the story with a fair amount of personal memoir. While i don't mind that per se, i did take issue with the tone of some of these parts. There's a self-importance at times which i thought was misplaced. The way she imposed herself on the 21 girls that got released seemed a bit cringe-worthy. Talking of 'taking the girls home' felt really out of place. I understand the journalistic desire to be there, i acknowledge the years of reporting on the story but at that point, to me, she seemed to be just an unfamiliar person to the victims and families conducting herself as a close friend or an important player in the saga.

I also felt a bit more consideration could be spared for the girls still missing. The information on Boko Haram and the Chibok region just about sufficed but i would have welcomed a bit more.

Despite the annoyances i enjoyed the book, i read it in just a couple of sittings. 2,5 stars.

[Aimee Dars · Rating 4 out of 5]

On April 14, 2014, terrorists from the Islamic group Boko Haram invaded the small town of Chibok in northeastern Nigeria. There, they found 276 girls in the dorms at the Government Girls Secondary School who were inadequately guarded. Boko Haram spoke out against Western education, education for girls, and democracy, and the Chibok school wasn’t the first they’d targeted, but the poor students there were determined to climb out of the poverty of the region not just for themselves but for their families. Their very dreams made them enemies of the Islamic group.

During a multi-day trek, the militants led the girls, some on foot some on vehicles, through the Sambisa Forest. Some of the girls were able to escape by jumping out of the transport trucks while others bravely fled when they were supposed to be taking bathroom breaks. The rest were taken to a camp and left under a tamarind tree which would be their home for months.

Back in Chibok, families were beside themselves with grief, but didn’t have the resources or political savvy to pressure the government to engage in a search for the missing girls. Instead, president Goodluck Jonathan claimed the kidnapping was a hoax designed to damage his reelection campaign.

Ibrahim Abdullahi, a corporate lawyer, first used the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, and Obiageli Ezekwesili, a former vice president of the World Bank for the Africa region, was the first to publicly proclaim the four words. The theme became popular on social media, and, for a time, national and international media were focused on the story. Isha Sesay, a CNN anchor and native of Sierra Leone was one of the first journalists to cover the event, and even when other journalists and networks lost interest in the girls, her attention never waned. She was on site when the first group of thirty-one girls was released (two years after their abduction), and she developed relationships with them as well as with the families of the missing girls.

In Beneath the Tamarind Tree, Sesay’s narrative centers on four of the kidnapped students, and she provides harrowing details from the confusion of the first moments Boko Haram stormed the compound to the fear of beatings and hunger, the bonds of friendship, and the solace of faith. She also recounts the Nigerian government’s sobering inaction, with President Jonathan and later administrations using the kidnapping as a political tool rather than trying to rescue the girls. Sesay also interjects her own experiences as a journalist covering the story and the pressures she was experiencing in her own life and from the network that made covering the story challenging.

I had some technical quibbles with the book: I thought there was some unnecessary repetition and I was less interested in Sesay’s personal narrative than that of the girls’, but I think this is an important account to read. We should be witness to what these girls experienced and how they have been shamefully used as pawns in a war between the Boko Haram and legitimate governments. Their story also underscores the importance of educating girls and giving them opportunities to thrive outside of communities where they have only a single option for their future. Even more critical is the fact that 112 girls are still unaccounted for. It’s unlikely that a group of 112 wealthy or Western girls would have been abandoned as these have seemingly been.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Viral · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to HarperCollins for the ARC at BEA 2019!

I really enjoyed this book. Sesay tells us the story of the over 200 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 in powerful detail, and gives us the appropriate context to understand how Boko Haram rose to power in Northeast Nigeria, as well as why the corrupt Nigerian central government failed to do anything for years. Sesay also challenges us with some cutting points about the failure of the world to stand up for the girls; how we moved on so quickly after the initial kidnapping, and how the recovery was not covered out of a desire to cover the 2016 US election horse race. Would we have cared more if the victims hadn't been poor black women? Almost certainly. A moving and powerful story. Sesay is doing important work shining light on the globally marginalized. Highly reccomend.

[Feisty Harriet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 5-star story with a delivery that didn't quite jive with me. Sesay is a CNN corespondent and I am impressed by her dedication to a heartbreaking story that quickly got buried in and forgotten by the international media in the clustercuss that was the 2016 U.S. election. Sesay has spelled out so many political and religious clashes in the Chibok region of northern Nigeria, militant Islam extremists vs pretty much everybody else, leftover political issues from the British colonial rule, extreme poverty and a very brief touch on female genital mutilation, the importance of education, Nigeria's own elections and leveraging (or not) these 276 black, female bodies and souls. Those parts were all very interesting and helped with the background of the climate that led to the abduction.

My two biggest issues were how much Sesay inserted herself into this story, her background of course shapes how she responds to and her drive to cover this particular story, and that's important. I thought the details about her mother's political career were fascinating. That being said, towards the end there was maybe a little more Sesay and a little less Chibok, which is odd for the climax of the book and story.

Secondly, it irritated me to NO END how Sesay told everyone, the Chibok girls included, that *she* brought them home...when she didn't, obviously, and her being anywhere near those young women was almost always because she side-stepped government authorities and worked one zillion angles to capture the story. WHICH IS FINE. But, like, that doesn't mean she's responsible for their release, their therapy and rehabilitation, or their future successes as strong young women in Nigeria. So, minus one whole damn star for that, Sesay.

(Also? I realize that "Boko Haram" is far more recognizable term than "Chibok", the name of the town these young women attended school. But, a title claiming "the Lost Schoolgirls of Boko Haram" is gross. These young women do not belong to Boko Haram, they NEVER belonged to Boko Haram. It's a catchy headline--thanks, CNN reporter--but it's really really gross to claim these young hostages are "of" a super terrorist group. Like, that's not ok.)

[Kasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The parts of this that focus on the experience of the Chibok girls is powerful and compelling, but the memoir sections about the author and the parts about the author's struggle to get the story for CNN were not as interesting to me.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember the tag #BringBackOurGirls? Do you remember hearing and seeing in the news the story of the 270 Nigerian school girls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram several years ago? As news stories do, this event eventually was replaced by other stories, which is so sad because 112 of these girls are still missing. On April 14, 2014, terrorists from the Islamic group Boko Haram invaded the small town of Chibok in northeastern Nigeria. There, they found 276 girls in the dorms at the Government Girls Secondary School and forced them to leave the school and come with them. Boko Haram spoke out against Western education, education for girls, and democracy, and the Chibok school wasn’t the first they’d targeted, but the first to be met with international outrage. During a multi-day trek, the armed militants led the girls, by foot and in trucks, through the Sambisa Forest. Some of the girls escaped by jumping out of the vehicles and other snuck off when they were in the forest taking a bathroom break. The rest were taken to a camp and left under a tamarind tree which would be their home for months. Back in Chibok, families were beside themselves with grief, but didn’t have the money or political connections to pressure the government to search for their girls. Isha Sesay, a CNN anchor and native of Sierra Leone was one of the first journalists to cover the event, and even when other journalists and networks lost interest in the girls, her attention never waned.

Sesay’s account centres on four of the kidnapped girls. We get to know them, their hopes and dreams, as well as their families and their grief. Through private interviews with the girls we learn about the horrendous conditions these girls endured such as beating, hunger, forced marriages, forced conversion to Islam and mental anguish. The majority of the girls that were kidnapped were Christian. It amazed me to read about the strength of faith these young girls had. When asked why she did not convert to Islam, one of the girls responded that without Christ in her life, she may as well be dead. It was what sustained them for so long.

Sesay alternates between telling the story of the kidnapped girls, her own story, and providing information related to the politics of Nigeria. She shares the Nigerian government’s inaction, with President Jonathan and later administrations using the kidnapping as a political tool rather than trying to rescue the girls. At one point they said they had all been returned home, at another they said it was a hoax to undermine the government. I will say that I did not enjoy Sesay's personal story as much as the girls, but it is important to see that only a woman from Sierra Leone, despite her own personal issues and tragedies, continued to push to have this story in the forefront of the news. She felt is was important for her to pursue this as she says that this could have been her story, if it had not been for her privileged upbringing. The sad thing for me is that if these girls had come from wealthy or important families, they would have been found and brought home sooner. At this time, there are still 114 girls unaccounted for. Are they dead? Are they living willingly with the Boka Haram or are they still captives? Will the world ever know?

I listened to the audiobook of Beneath the Tamarind Tree and I did enjoy it, but with a few reservations. The book is narrated by the author, Isha Sesay. I know that this is nonfiction, but there were times I felt that I was being lectured. Had another narrator been selected to read this book, it might not have been as noticeable. I am definitely glad that I listened to this rather than read it though, as I think I might have put it aside and not finished this important story. The publisher, HarperAudio, generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2019 - bk 231. I started this book at 11:00 p.m. thinking I'd read one chapter, relax, then go to bed. Ha! I won't say when I went to bed - but my eyes are bleary as I type this. The story of the girls of Chibook School was well written, focusing on the girls who had escaped and those who had been released. The author, Isha Sesay, did an excellent job of tracing the online movement to keep the pressure on, the story of indifference, and previous abductions/attacks on schools. At the same time she tells the story of her own mother's rise from poverty in Sierra Leone - all through education. There were points where the background bogged the story down, but with so many uplifting moments that it was counterbalanced. What happened to the girls was cruel beyond words. From the closeups taken by Sesay and her descriptions, the 21 looked as if they had survived a concentration camp in WWII. There were many girls who gave in, changed their faith, and were married to the terrorists. But there were those who refused to convert and refused to marry. I don't know if many of those who married will ever find their way home to their parents. The overriding sense from the story was of the importance of personal faith. For me, the most important part of the book is to be found in the last five pages in the last interview with Priscilla and Blessing.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, how disappointing.

This is an account of the kidnapping of over 250 girls, known as The Lost Girls. In April, 2014 an Islamic militants group, known as Boko Haram, entered the town of Chibok, Nigeria, and abducted the girls from their
boarding school. Boko Haram made sure the world knew why-Women Do Not Need Education. This story needed to be published, many of these girls are still being held, the world cannot just forget about them.

It is unfortuente that the author decided her story, for some reason, needed to be told in the book. The parts about the abducted girls kept me interested. The book was developed by interviews with 4 of the girls who made it out. I loved this portion of the story. Then, out of nowhere, a chapter would appear, talking about only Sesay and her mother. I get it, your mother was educated. She made sure you were educated. There was no need to tell your audience this 4-5 times, filling chapters with the same information. Sesay's background would have easily pleased me, had it been in the afterward.

If you want a "meat of the story" book, I would wait to see if someone else publishes it. All 3 stars I gave this book go to the Lost Girls themselves, none for the writing.

[Jennifer Edinger · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish the book was more about the girls and less about the author/journalist.

[Krutika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beneath The Tamarind Tree #bookrecommendation
•
Isha Sesay is an award winning journalist who constantly worked on the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping incident. Having worked for the CNN for over a decade, Isha has been covering this case since the very beginning. Isha was born in Seirra Leone to well educated parents who pushed her towards knowledge. Her mother who later became her pillar of support always encouraged her to stand by her Chibok sisters. This book is the real take on what actually happened to the girls during the period of two years when they were abducted.
•
Boko Haram, a religious Jihadi terrorist group who condemned Western ideologies were against women education and believed in spreading Islam as the one true religion. The group was formed around 2002 and has caused terror ever since. Thousands were killed in the name of religion and many were converted or taken as captive. When members of Boko Haram abducted around 300 schoolgirls from their hostel in Chibok, they wanted to send a message across to the government and people of Nigeria. The girls were asked to covert and accept Islam as their new religion and were hidden away in a forest for close to two years. Isha Sessay interviews the girls and puts across their experience of being a captive. The lives of few girls were taken as example. The lives of Dorcas, Priscilla and Saa during those days are explained vividly in this book.
•
Nigerian government's part in this abduction case has been exposed severely by the brave author. She writes about the indifference of the government as they were quick to treat this abduction as a hoax to save face. She is bold and her voice has brought about a complete set of revelations to the public. Few girls managed to escape from the Boko Haram's clutches, while others were released as part of an exchange organised by the government. More than 100 hundred girls are still missing. The unfairness of it all shocks me even now. It's saddening to see how the parents struggled to get their girls back while few of them still wait for a sign from the missing ones. Beneath the tamarind tree is a beautiful and powerful read. It's informative and moving.
•
Rating- 5/5.

[Erika Yorita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A harrowing account by brave journalist Isha Sesay of her dangerous experiences tracking the young women abducted by the hardcore jihadist Boko Haram members in Nigeria. The interviews with the schoolgirls, fraught with terrifying remembrances of the brutality and psychological punishment they endured, will open the readers’ eyes to the frightening reality women suffer daily throughout places where terrorists operate. Ms. Sesay’s indefatigable work on behalf of these Boko Haram girls, as they became known around the world, and her innate courage helped to make what might have been a sadly neglected injustice into a cause championed by many around the globe.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated the author’s insight and information on the Chibok girls—much more than any news story put out there. I’m not sure why her personal story was included. I didn’t think it had a place in this book. Her story is interesting, but should be in a separate book. Also, I found myself so annoyed with the author because it just seemed she disrespected the privacy and wishes of the girls.

[Dara · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unimaginable, agonizing story for the Chibok girls and their families. I’m so glad the author shared the story of these girls so that more people can hear it. However the author is a journalist, not a novelist, and the writing was somewhat dry and too detached for such an emotional saga.

[Kimber Burgess · Rating 2 out of 5]

The true story behind the book is amazing. Unfortunately the author kept cutting from the true story to tell her own story which was an irrelevant distraction. Not the best writing but I am glad I learned more about what happened in Chibok and the faith and tenacity of these girls.

[Kathi Reeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an immensely important story about these girls. My big disappointment is that the author inserted herself FAR too much into the story, with far too much self-importance. I wanted more attention and care on the actual girls’ story.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to get update on these young women, not all of whom have been returned. Dragged some at times

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Go under that tree!. . .They'd arrived at a Boko Haram Camp . . . The hundreds of girls moved en-masse for protection and stood weeping at the foot of the [tamarind] tree . . . Do you know why you are here? . . . It is in your best interests to choose our religion . . . Even if you refuse to accept our religion, you must wear the hijab."

April 14, 2014 dawned like any other in the Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria known as Chibok. The Area is located in northern Nigeria and has its headquarters in the town with the same name of Chibok; a microdot agrarian village comprised of many Christian families. Militant Islamic groups have killed and maimed innocent residents as well as destroyed towns in the region.

The marauders endeavor to eliminate any Western influences and to force native peoples to their extreme Islamic views. The most notable of the violent Islamic terror groups is known as Boko Haram; whose name loosely means "Western education is a sin."

Their heavy-handed tactics have resulted in the closure of all Nigerian Government Schools - except one. The tiny school in the poverty laced Area of Chibok.

On the morning of April 14, 2014, Boko Haram descended on the town of Chibok and "serendipitously" discovered the Government School and the 276 girls receiving Western education. The Jihadists assumed all schools had been closed and couldn't believe their luck to find one still open. Recognizing the opportunity and exposure they would receive by kidnapping these terrified young girls, the militants forcefully spirited them into the desolate Sambisa forest; the group's largest home base.

Their actions did bring international attention at first, but soon the plight of these innocent children remained a horrible nightmare to only their bereft parents and a small cadre of activists. Nearly 50+ girls managed to evade capture or escaped in route to the Sambisa forest but the fates of over 200 remained a painful mystery.

Nearly two years to the day from their capture and in the heart of the divisive United States 2016 election season, Boko Haram revived attention to their insidious kidnapping by releasing 21 girls. Once again, and for a brief time only, the world renewed its interest in the fate of these innocents.
Author, Isha Sesay, born in Sierra Leone and serving as a CNN Africa reporter has now dedicated her life to discovering the fate of the Chibok girls, to keep their memory alive, and to further efforts to discover those still missing. The failure of her network to air an exclusive interview with the newly released girls in lieu of wall-to-wall coverage of Donald Trump and the 2016 Presidential election outraged her and has led to this incredible book, Beneath the Tamarind Tree.

This soon to be released book in 2019, is a must read for lazy Americans who probably couldn't point to Nigeria on a globe much less locate Chibok. Count me in on that point. I knew all the buzz words in the news- Boko Haram, the Chibok girls, the kidnapping, the release of a few of the girls. . . But aside for a momentary sense of compassion for the girls, their parents, and their community I became distracted by news at home.

I applaud Isha Sesay for educating me on the history of Nigeria in a way that was easy to read and showed how it's history is tied to the US. Her unique access to the released Chibok girls and their parents has brought the story down to the individual level while at the same time offering the reader an overview of life in the area as a whole. I was so amazed how desperately the parents wanted their girls to be educated; to be valued as a person and to reach their highest potential. The efforts of these destitute families, living without running water or electricity and the dedication of the girls themselves to honor their parents sacrifices for education is remarkable.

Much of the strength and courage of these families resides in their deep belief in a Christian God and his mercy and wisdom. I honestly had tears in my eyes as I read the interviews from the released girls and their willingness to stand true to their faith and not be forced to convert to Islam. I, also understood, the need for self-preservation and did not judge those girls who "converted" in an effort for survival.

It is a story of heartbreak and cruelty cast in a light that doesn't offend the reader but offers insight into the daily lives of peoples constantly under crushing terror and emotional distress. In my heart of hearts, I believe everyone should read this book. It is now five years since the abduction and more than 112 girls are still missing. These innocent girls are representative of thousands more girls and boys that have been murdered or turned into slaves for a virulent cause all around the world. The world for those unfortunates that have survived has been irrevocably altered.

We should all be aware that, "there but for the grace of God, go I", when one religious group forcibly dictates the rules and denies the rights of individuals to their own vision of a supreme being or the right to not believe in one at all.

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my opinion and honest review.

[Georgette · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! What an amazing story. Well written and truly heartbreaking. This is a story that must be told and everyone should know what happened to these young women! My heart goes out to them and their families.

[Westminster Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beneath the Tamarind Tree is a riveting account of the abduction of the schoolgirls from the small town Chibok, Nigeria. Wonderfully written, suspenseful and an inspirational fight for women's equality for the right to education. There is so much we as Americans take for granted and I appreciated learning about these remote parts of the world. These girls are amazingly brave as they held onto their faith and hope that one day they would be free and reunited with their families. As of today, there are still some 100+ girls held captive by the Boko Haram terrorist group that initially abducted 276 girls.

Find Beneath the Tamarind Tree: A Story of Courage, Family, and the Lost Schoolgirls of Boko Haram at Westminster Public Library today!

And if you are in search of new books to read, try our services, What Do I Read Next. Our library staff are standing by to create a personalized recommendation list for you!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book answers some questions I had about how the kidnapping took place and what happened to the girls in captivity. The author follows four specific girls and their families a little bit and also tells about her own life and desire to report on the story. When 21 of them were freed, she immediately travelled to Nigeria to get the story. I was disturbed by the predatory nature of the journalists, desperate to get the best photos and best quotes from the girls. Leave them alone, they need privacy not fame! Of course here I was reading a book about them.
🤦🏽‍♀️
This is a deeply sad story about the role the Nigerian government and the world DIDN’T play in rescuing these girls. It wasn’t an easy read but I felt was important to put a name, story, personality to at least some of these girls. 276 is such a large number, it’s hard to wrap my head around. And it gave a good context for how a group such as Boko Haram came into existence and thrived in the first place.

[Julie Cave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever since the 2014 kidnapping of several hundred schoolgirls by Boko Haram in Nigeria I've wanted to know about the incident and those who later escaped or were released. This book answered many of my questions and offered insights as to why the Nigerian government were unsuccessful in rescuing the 112 remaining girls who are still in captivity as of this date. The author is a CNN journalist and did a fine job retelling the story, mostly based on interviews with a few of the young women who were held captive for over two years, and presenting the political atmosphere including the efforts of the Bring Back Our Girls organization. However, I did find the author's interjection of her personal life and mother's illness a big distraction to the real story as were her political views about American politics which had nothing to do with the compelling story of the schoolgirls.

[Bondi Bilala · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate Isha humanizing the Chibok girls by putting a face to them and telling their story. It’s so easy for even an indigene of Nigeria to see them as abstract. However, I could have done without the parts of Isha’s story as it began to look like an autobiography caught in the middle of the chibok story.

Once again, the incompetence and sometimes heartless response of the Nigerian government was brought to light. One can only wonder what would have been of the girls without internal and external pressure from the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.

[Warren Mcpherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a remarkable story, told with a narrative style that struggles to be more relatable to Americans.
Criticism is legitimate, but the choices made by the author are also legitimate, they highlight the challenges we face in understanding the very different situations faced by people in distant parts of the world. The story is very important as similar events play out more often than one might expect. The details are shooking.
The role played by forgiveness turns out to be one of the more remarkable wrinkles in this story.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

All respect to the Nigerian girls and their families. What a terrible ordeal. I especially loved reading clear evidence of how Christian faith sustained some of them them. Honestly, my attention waned when the author talked about her own reporting experiences and her family complications. Still, a good resource for getting the big picture.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book 12
I listened to this book read by the author. The writing and reading is very reporter-like--dry and dull. It was good to learn more about this tragedy that, I didn't previously know, is still ongoing. I can't recommend this book, though.