Hannatu Musawa
“-Akin is a 5 year old orphan from Oyo state born on the 1st of
January. He never knew his mother; she died from loss of blood bearing
him on the dirty floor of their one-room apartment. After her death his
father moved the family to Lagos. When Akin was 2, his father died in an
accident leaving him and his 9 year old brother. Ladja, Akins’ brother,
managed to support them by patrolling parking spaces and demanding fees
from motorists. When Ladja became involved with a group of area boys
and was killed while participating in an armed robbery operation... Akin
was adopted as one of the area boys’ own to raise!”
“-Shamsiya is a 5 year old girl from Katsina state born on the 1st
of January. Her father is a maiguard with 4 wives, 2 concubines and 29
children. From his wages, Shamsiyas’ father can only afford to feed a
third of his family. Shamsiya and her sisters don’t go to school,
instead they hawk groundnut. Mallam Ado, a shoe shiner 48 years older
than Shamsiya, is her biggest customer and has recently taken a
pervasive interest in eating groundnut… but only if Shamsiya is selling
it!”
“-Gladys is a 5 year old half cast girl from Edo state born on the
1st of January. She no longer sees her mother and never knew her father.
Her mother only met him once; he lives somewhere in an Italian suburb
oblivious of his offspring, forgetful of that one night he ventured to
solicit the tall black lady with the red high heel boots. The little
girl lives with her elderly grandmother, a woman too frail to notice the
goodness of her grandchild. Unfortunately Diezel, the local,
sick-minded mechanic noticed and was always determined to show Gladys
just how much. From the age of 3, Gladys has been sexually molested by
Diezel and he has commenced arrangements for a passport for her so that
she could travel with him and 6 other young and abused slave girls in a
shipping container... on a one way trip to Italy!”
“-Chukwudi is a 5 year old boy from Anambra born on the 1st of
January. Being 14 years older than him, his brother was lucky enough to
gain an education and admission into a university. Unfortunately for
Chukwudi times were hard and the family couldn’t afford to educate
another child, so he and his twin sisters assisted their parents in
their kiosk. Away in university, his brother became involved with a
deadly cult. The cult leaders gave him a house to move his family into
and without waste of time they did. In their joy Chukwudi’s family
failed to notice... it was situated near a shrine!”
The implication of these accounts may seem severe, but in
reality millions of children all over this country are abused, molested,
sold like goods, violated, forced to lead immoral lives, kidnapped and
killed. If we look in every corner of every state in Nigeria, one common
theme we will witness is malnourished, uneducated and impoverished
children living in a very poor state of health and filth. And regardless
of where they are from these children are all victims of the existing
decline of our country. Every one of us must understand that no child
can be left behind and we have to take responsibility for the safety of
the children of this country. Arguably we are all guilty for exhibiting a
poor attitude toward their welfare. We are guilty of inaction because
we witness daily the employment of very young children as domestic
servants, the growing rage of the system of almajiranci, area boys and
marriage of very young girls without challenging the institutions and
people that encourage these trends. Unless we create an initiative to
stop the exploitation of children then we face a grim future. If we
don’t take a stand then children like Akin, Shamsiya, Chukwudi and
Gladys become part of that vicious circle and 20 years down the line we
have a “scenario A” situation where…
“-Akin grew up learning the ropes from his area boy idols and on
many occasions would assist them. Alas, in order for Akin to reach an
ultimate high, he began to take drugs. It started with the occasional
marijuana but latter turned into a need for something much harder. He
was eventually thrown out the gang for sluggishness due to the drugs and
started living under a Lagos bridge. His drug use became so desperate
that on one night when he couldn’t get the drugs, he cut off his little
finger in order to quantify his intense craving and need for the drugs.
Akin lived this way for many years until his lonely death on the 31st
December... a day before his 25th birthday!”
“-Shamsiya was married off to Mallam Ado by the age of 12 as his
4th wife. By the time she was 14, she gave birth to the first of her 6
children. Mallam Ado, her first husband, died 4 years into their
marriage after which she begged on the streets with her children in
order to survive. Shamsiya married 2 other men in her lifetime, the last
one lasting only 4 months before her husband divorced her to marry a
younger woman. Towards the end of her life, Shamsiya begged on the
streets with some of her children, the others were sent to a Mallam in
Maiduguri and are living as almajirai. During a religious clash, her 11
year old almajiri son Inusa plunged a knife in her gut, ending her
tortured life for reprimanding him for using the opportunity to loot
shops and kill people. She died on the 31st December... a day before her
25th birthday!”
“-Gladys didn’t get her passport and didn’t get to travel abroad
till she was 24 because Diezel thought she would be more useful to him
in the big Nigerian cities. For many years she was raped, beaten and
abused. By the time she was 24, Gladys managed to travel to America.
With a sigh of relief a damaged Gladys, determined to start a new life,
went to the doctor for necessary tests. A few days latter Gladys stared
with horror at the piece of paper in her hand which sealed her fate, the
piece of paper that said “results of blood test”, the piece of paper
that said “HIV: positive”. For Gladys it was not to be the start of her
new life but the end of her journey because on New Years Eve a gun lay
in her right hand and her life less body just lay victim to her own
suicide.... It happened a day before her 25th birthday!”
“-Chukwudi and his family were barely making ends meet when his
brother defied his cultist leaders. Had it been a minor crime, 1
sacrifice would have been adequate for the leaders of the cult, but this
was an insulting offence that required nothing less than 6 sacrifices.
On the night of 31st December screams were heard from the direction of
Chukwudis’ house. In the morning 6 burned bodies were discovered
including that of the mutilated torso of a small boy with his arms,
legs, and head hacked off. Chukwudi was not 25... he died a day before
his 8th birthday!”
Be it life till 25 or 8, the need of all children is one and the
same and their fate interconnected. For Akin, Shamsiya, Chukwudi and
Gladys, 4 children who were never destined to meet but had more in
common than they would ever know, their destiny could be changed if our
attitude and laws were too. In order to protect them from the
exploitation and degrading treatment in “scenario A”, our government
must enforce more laws that protect children; put a stop to child
begging, hard labour, trafficking, establish organised rehabilitation
centres, orphanages, provide primary healthcare, basic education, safe
water, sanitation and enforce stringent sanctions to those who encourage
these harmful practises. Those of us who have the means should take it
upon ourselves to sponsor the protection, empowerment and education of
strangers, albeit one. The populace must show care and humanity to the
already displaced children living on the streets. Granted, it may be an
unreasonable expectation for all the above reforms to be simultaneously
put in place but if only we could start with a couple, then we have a
real likelihood of succeeding so that children like Akin, Shamsiya,
Chukwudi and Gladys have a chance of the life in “scenario B” some 20
years down the line where…
“-Akin went to an orphanage and excelled in school. Upon seeing his
brilliance, a childless couple adopted him and groomed him to grow up
into a fine, proud young man. He became a lawyer and dedicated his
practise to speak for all unprivileged drug addicts living under
bridges. His brother Ladja went into rehab and emerged a confident,
rehabilitated business man!”
“-Shamsiya benefited from the state sponsored education in her town.
She went on to get a scholarship and was able to eventually qualify as a
teacher. Happily married with 6 children she speaks out against
almajiranchi, early marriage, hawking and writes against these practises
in her native language. Her son Inusa wants to work in a bank!”
“-Gladys was protected by the authorities and went ahead to study
economics. Latter in life she won a beauty contest and used the platform
to speak on the dangers of child abuse. Now she travels the world and
provides counselling and aid to AIDS patients!”
“-Chukwudi and his family were provided a secure shelter and
eventually relocated. Chukwudi became a doctor and senator. He
introduced a bill in the Senate that tightened the law on cultism in
Universities. His brother works with him!”
Our children are important and valued members of our society. We
must at this point ask ourselves which of the above scenarios we prefer
for our children; A or B? For our children of destiny; Akin, Shamsiya,
Gladys and Chukwudi and every other Nigerian child, the answer must be B
and one thing must be clear; we must leave no child behind!
Saharareporters
When
Optima Media Group (OMG), producers of the Nigerian Idol talent show
launched the third season of the talent search show on Wednesday,
September 19, 2012 at a media event held in Lagos, two prominent people
were missing – a judge Charly Boy and co-host Tiwa Savage.
