When I give birth to my daughter tomorrow. I want her to be born into a society
where she is safe, respected and cherished. A society where she will not in any way be a prey to any person, group, religion, creed or belief. Where the sanctity of human life is held in high regard and enshrined in the very footprint of societal
values. Such a society I will want my daughter and child born into. That Nigeria
has refused to develop like she should economically and politically is no longer
news. But that we are on a moral decline also is news to me.
On the 6th of March this year, I woke up to meet this headline on my tablet from
the online version of the Vanguard Newspaper; Ese Oruru: Living in two
countries. It sent apprehensions down my spine. I quaked down to my very being.
Not that I was not already familiar with the Ese Oruru story but there was
something that struck me about the headline. Could it be that we are truly living in
two different countries and didn’t know? Do the laws that apply to the rest of us
apply to those who make society a living hell for others? The rapists, the
kidnappers, the terrorists, and the looters? Where in God’s name do you marry off
someone’s daughter who is still a minor without the consent of the parents? Even
with consent, are you supposed to?
From the Vanguards report, Ese Oruru was abducted by Yinusa Yellow a 25-year
Muslim resident of Yenegoa, and taken to Kano, where Yinusa was originally born,
and from where he came to live in Bayelsa, where he made home, and a living
hawking water.
From Yinusa’s own father’s account, his son, Yinusa, did not abduct Ese. They are
a couple in love, he claimed. Ese willingly followed Yinusa home to Kano, where
she converted to Islam, although in his mind, no marriage took place between his
son and Ese Oruru. It is against the law and the tenets of his religion, and
therefore, he was opposed to all this in the first place. I think we ought to listen to
Yinusa’s father for his perspective, except that Ese Oruru is a minor, and
newspaper reports indicate that she may be five-months pregnant; a situation, if it
were to be true, that puts the matter into a totally new dimension, because the
question would therefore come to be: who raped Ese Oruru?’’
In 2003, Nigeria adopted the Child Rights Act to domesticate the Convention on
the Rights of the Child. Although this law was passed at the Federal level, it is only
effective if State Assemblies also enact it. To date, less than 17 of the country’s 36
States have passed the Act.
Passionate activism has continued for the other remaining States to pass it yet
without fruitful results. In simple language, the Child Rights Act is far from been
translated into improved legal protection throughout the Federation. We have been
unable to deal with several issues impeding the protection rights of children such
as children underage streets hawking, children affected by communal conflict, drug
abuse, human trafficking and the weaknesses of the juvenile justice system
amongst others.
As we mark yet another children’s day. It behoves on us to reflect on the state of
the entirety of the Nigerian Children. Is this where we should be? The kind of
education that is now served in schools, is it better than it was 50 years ago when
we became free from colonialism? Can we beat our chest and say that our society is
safe enough to leave our children when we take our journey further to meet our
maker?
It is another May 27th. Another day for politicians to make inundated speeches on
how the children are the future of Nigeria and how they have laudable plans to
turn the society into an Eldorado for the Nigerian child. Should we believe them
yet again like we have always believed them?
In it is this spirit that I am urging us take a sober reflection as a Nation and
critically think about the future of this Nation – The Nigerian Child.
The case of Ese Oruru is but only one isolated case of abduction, rape and
maltreatment of minors all over the country. We have cases of under-aged or child
marriages in some parts, forced or coerced young ladies used as baby factories in
another and child labour and trafficking all over.
It is time we take action on the future of our children by taking a look at the Child
Rights Act and its provisions to make society safe for our children.
Wishing all my Lovely Children Happy Children’s day and a fruitful and secured
future.
Adanu Moses
Wrote from Nasarawa State
adanumoses@yhaoo.com
Twitter: @MoAdanu
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