By Adepeju Mabadeje, Guest Writer.
The abuse of children has never ceased to be source of concern for many across the globe. From child labour to child begging, domestic violence, child prostitution and now the latest in Nigeria, ‘the child witch syndrome’.
Despite its penchant for corruption, Nigeria is no doubt a deeply spiritual nation. With churches and mosques in all street corners, poverty seems to be the greatest motivation for the citizens to draw closer to God while retaining the hope for a better tomorrow.
From the death of a child or close relative to the loss of employment by the father who has not less than nine children to cater for and the nose-diving fortunes of the family which leaves them without shelter, having to take solace in the church and keeps the children out of school, the list is indeed endless.
In the meantime, someone must be responsible for the poverty induced calamities and guess who? If you say the child, you can’t be wrong!
The scene is all too familiar; the distraught father goes running to a religious gathering in search for help. The religious head takes a deep breath, asks how many children he has, before transcending into the realm of spirituality. The result, an unfortunate child is handpicked and the race to get him to confess begins.
From severe beatings with broomsticks by several people, to being forced to take a gulp of acid, the adults would stop at nothing to get the little child to confess.
The mentality is appalling! It’s a sort of completion out there. If your pastor doesn’t find a child witch in your family despite series of calamity, then it is certain the Holy Spirit has departed from him!
This has prompted a state in Nigeria to enact a Law against handpicking children and labelling them as witches. The law promises a ten year jail term for anyone who subjects a child to inhuman treatment in the process of purporting to cure, purge or exorcise a child of witchcraft.
The question is: Are these children being offered enough protection under the law?
Your guess is as good as mine!
