My Naija News - Who will save the children of Akwa Ibom?

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Who will save the children of Akwa Ibom?

Written by Tessa Doghor

Monday, 15 December 2008

The value of a human life in Nigeria can best be described as abysmal. If you consider the spates of violence in Jos, Delta and Rivers states, it is not difficult to see that violence is almost always the first option before anything else is considered.

Welcome to Akwa Ibom state where adolescents are handed over to a professional witch craft exorcism pastor who then proceeds to beat the witch craft out of them, you would believe that no where would you hear of such atrocities than in Africa.

Witches? C'mon!

There are several wonderful things about Africa and Nigeria for that matter but one of the things that hold Africa back is when such things as adolescents are flogged to pieces by a pastor who claims to be exorcizing a witchcraft spirit. It is also when indigenes of the said state support the pastor and give instances where flogging has driven out witchcraft even madness; tall tales.

Such fetish practices need to cease. It is amazing that in the 21st century, you can still hear from educated folks that ‘a witch is a witch’ thereby justifying the act of the said pastor. This is indirectly supporting the torture of adolescents in order to force them to confess to witchcraft.
In the law of the United States, any testimony taken under duress is not admissible in court. So I guess the people of Akwa Ibom can slam charges of child abuse and torture and throw out the testimonies gotten from the children in such a vile manner.

Anyway, to focus on the serious issues, what are the laws guiding the Nigerian child? How can atrocities like these go on and nobody heard about it? Maybe the so-called law-abiding citizens turned a blind eye to these things that a white man had to be the one to come to the rescue of Nigerian children? What can be done to put a stop to these kind 0of things? Mary Slessor saved twins in Calabar. Who will save the children of Akwa Ibom?

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Comments (1)

	1. Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it on 21-12-2008 23:03 - Guest
	Ways to help the children. There are ways you can help these children. Sign the petitions: Stop Liberty Foundation Gospel Ministries of Nigeria from labeling children as witches. Stop The Labeling Of Children As Witches Help the Child Witches of Nigeria - Support the Prevent Abandonment of Children Today(PACT) Campaign Thank you!

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