Violence Against Children Has Increased In Nigeria – Maigida

THE main bowl of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium came alive on Thursday, May 27, and the adjuncts to the stadium road pulsated with activities as the Edo State Government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs, joined the rest of the world in commemorating the International Children’s Day, and in grand style too.
In the United Nation’s Calendar of global events, the Children’s Day stands out as a compulsory holiday for children all over the world. The day is also remarkable because of the tall marching order handed out by the United Nations and several other advocacy groups and donor agencies, including funding windows, that stakeholders must of necessity, address critical areas of children’s issues with a view to finding lasting solutions to them.
According to the UN, the interests and well-being of children do not attract waivers since they remain critical, and of paramount concern to all. And those issues are multidimensional, from their health, education, social wellbeing and to their fundamental rights.
It was therefore in pursuit of these veritable stand points in child development and more that the Edo State government temporarily converted the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium into an Executive Chamber as virtually the entire executive cadre of the state led by the Comrade Governor, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, turned up at the event for children’s sake.
The children themselves, representing both public and private schools in Benin alone sprawled out in the fields in their colourful arrays of uniforms and performance regalia, beaming with excitement, ready to catch fun and display some practised acts, even their innate potentials. With practised dexterity, they continued to do their rehearsals in various corners of the stadium until the Opening Prayers, National Anthem and Pledge signaled the event open.
In her welcome address, the Honourable Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Blessing Maigida, expressed her delight in being part of the history in celebrating the Nigerian Child, even as she poured encomiums on the children of Edo State and all the care givers who she stated spend their time, money and talents in investing in the children and leaders of the next generation.
Describing this year’s theme, Violence Against Children (VAC) as apt due to the increasing level of unprecedented violence that is being recorded against children nationwide, Hon. Mrs. Maigida, in voice laden with emotion, reeled out the vices against children as including child abandonment, rape and sexual abuse, child dubbed-witchcraft cases, child marriage, trafficking, kidnap, physical abuse/assault, child soldier and terrorism, amongst several others. She warned that the country may be in for ‘a turbulent and disoriented future’ if those issues are not addressed and squarely tackled.
She noted that the Edo State Government sees the day as a golden opportunity to celebrate the Nigerian Child and equally a platform to enlighten the public on the dignity, worth and rights of the child in the society. She also reiterated efforts made by government through her ministry in constantly dealing with and tackling issues concerning women, children and families, among other social vices which continue to rear their ugly heads in the state.
The Honourable Commissioner also stated that her ministry has been in the fore front building capacities, carrying out enlightenment and sensitization programmes, training and retraining of advocacy personnel and mobilizing, providing networks and referrals to professional groups that are also stakeholders in the business of child care. With partnerships from notable donor agencies, stakeholders and network groups like SMILE Project, USAID, UNICEM, NAPTIP and CPN among others, Mrs. Maigida said the ministry has continued relentlessly in building synergy and working together in developing the State Priority Agenda (SPA), VC Directory, the Child Protection Policy as well as facilitating the prosecution of those who take pride in violating the personality and meddling with the dignity of the child.
She also recalled how recently the Edo State Women Affairs and Social Development Ministry under her leadership reviewed the Child Rights Law (CRL) into a simplified version; elected and inaugurated the Edo State Children’s Parliament led by its speaker. Miss Abieyuwa Omoregie; inaugurated the State Child Right Law Implementation Committee (SCRIC) and the High Level Management Meeting on VC to ensure the Edo Child has a voice as well as to assist stakeholders in the course of asserting the rights of the child to minimize the various attacks on children.
She reminded all stakeholders present at the epoch event that what mattered most in the collective duty of child care and protection were the commitment, dedication and strong relationship invested in the development and care of children towards making them the desired leaders of tomorrow. While she acknowledged that the business of raising and nurturing children is time consuming and sometimes very difficult, she however assured of its reward as time progressed.
Also speaking at the event, the Honourable Speaker of the Edo State Children Parliament, Miss Abieyuwa Omoregie commended the Edo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for putting in place a new team of children parliament after six years of prolonged absence in the state.
The SSI student of Noakhare Model Education Centre recalled how she emerged after a keenly contested democratic selection process organized by the ministry, and assured her fellow parliamentarians and the generality of Edo Children that she was their mouthpiece, and that together, the Edo Child would leap to the next level of their development. She thanked the State Governor, Comrade Adams Aliyu Eric Oshiomhole, the Honourable Commissioner and the entire children of the state for the opportunity to serve.
She towed the path of the Honourable Commissioner in reiterating that child abuse and severe violence against children has skyrocketed in recent times, both within and outside the state and also referred to the 2015 theme as very appropriate and timely, coming on the heels of the kidnap of her fellow young school girls in Chibok in Borno State; girls who have suffered frightening ordeals in the hands of their abductors, including rape, various forms of abuse and molestation, forced into child marriage and stripped of their dignity, pride and girlhood (even womanhood). She stated that she is herself traumatized by the psychological trauma, pain, suffering and loss of hope that characterized the life of these innocent youngsters, and wondered how much more emotionally depressed and devastated the children and their immediate relatives would be by the experience.
The speaker also drew public attention to the plight of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the North-East, who hailed from Edo State and are currently taking refuge in Ovia North-East Local Government, calling on government and other well-meaning organizations to come to their aid, even as she hinted that a visit to by the Comrade Governor on the IDP camp in Ovia would boost the morale of the children there.
Miss Omoregie also appealed to the Governor and Chief Judge of the state to use their good offices to establish a family court which she hoped would not only ensure the care and protection of the Edo Child, but would as well protect their rights and enhance speedy justice for all those that violate and abuse the child.
In his speech, the Comrade Governor expressed his government’s appreciation of young persons, particularly children, whom he stated would continue for all time to retain their role as leaders of tomorrow. He also described the international theme, Violence Against Children as timely in the face of a society replete with social turbulence that has continued to threaten the existence of the family institution.
The Comrade Governor noted with dismay the palpable fear in which children in the north-east have continued to live in due to the activities of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgency and expressed sadness that although the military has begun to rescue the kidnapped and captured women and children in bits, the rescue has come with huge and devastating traumatic, if not psychotic, effects on the children who he said ought to be in school and learning in preparation for their future. The Comrade Governor averred that these recent developments in and around the people, including the delayed decisions taken at the federal level and events that have led to the various problems in the society have greatly put a strain on the national life of the people and the corporate existence of Nigeria.
While expressing his delight in being part of the historical event of re-shaping the lives of tomorrow’s leaders, he reiterated his administration’s resolve to remain committed and dedicated to the cause of children not just because they looked fragile and helpless but because without them there would be no tomorrow. He also assured of his government’s resolve to continue to make its impacts felt in the lives of families, and by extension in the lives of children and youths to ensure their safety, survival, education and protection.
The coordinator, Child Protection Network, Edo State, Jennifer Ero, also making a presentation took a critical look at how children should be protected in every area of their lives, from the early stage of their development to adulthood. She called for the proper funding of the Ministry of Women Affairs to enable it respond adequately and cater to the many needs of children.
In her admonition to the children, wife of the Deputy Governor, Deaconness Endurance Odubu, who brought greetings for the children on behalf of the first Lady, Iara Oshiomhole, implored the children to always look back and see where they were coming from in order to remain good ambassadors of their families, their schools, their various religions and the society at large. She advised them to shun all those social vices, including gangsterism and cultism and to mind the associations they keep in order not to allow evil communication to derail their destiny. Deaconess Odubu also instructed the children to be obedient to their parents in order to enjoy the goodness of life.
The event which featured colourful cultural dances and displays by Ugiomo Junior Secondary School, Emotan College and Oghosa Education Centre also had the exciting march past and parade with the Governor, represented by the SSG, standing to take the salute. There were also presentations of prizes to the best performing schools in the various categories of the march past. This saw the Ihuogbe, Idia and Emotan Colleges coming first, second and third positions respectively in the public school category and Winrose, Unifac and Pioneer Education Centres leading in the private school category in the March past. Dignitaries at the event included honourable commissioners in the Education Ministry, Permanent Secretaries and heads of department of parastatals. The Former Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Edo State and now Director, Special Duties, office of the First Lady, Hajiah Maimuna Momodu who spoke to the press on the relevance of the event stated that she was impressed by the children’s outing and performance at the event, even as she commended the state government and the ministry for commemorating the event. She also enjoined parents/caregivers to be alive to their duty of care for their children and wards.
Officials of one of the sponsors of the event, Fidelity Bank, were also on hand to showcase their ‘cookies’ for young children.
The event also created a platform for smart traders to do brisk business as all kinds of children’s accessories, food, snacks, confectionaries and drinks were on display all around the vicinity of the stadium. And children indeed had their day.