Child abuse is the act of harming a child in a physical, sexual or emotional way. It is the practice of making children to work long hours for low wages, often under conditions detrimental to their health and future.
The iniquitous exploitation of poor defenseless village children for use as servants by salary earners in big cities wouldn't have been possible in the first place if the fundamental human rights of the Nigerian child had been well protected by the laws of the land or the law enforcement agencies. It is here in Nigeria that children of school age can be seen running along busy high ways hawking "pure water" and other silly bits and pieces during school hours. It is only here that little boys serve as bus conductors and little girls work in makeshift restaurants.
The usual excuse by parents and guardians is that the extra income is vital for the general well-being of the child's family .
We live today in a society where all who possess money are worshipped next to the creator ; no one cares about the source of any one's wealth. Once you managed to become rich, you are automatically elevated as an honoured member of the community. Hence, the average Nigerian today would traverse the end of the earth in search of money even if character and good name have to be shredded in the process. In a relatively risk free situation where our law enforcement personnel are always too eager to extort money, child abuse and child trafficking continue to blossom. Where the modern house wife ceaselessly batters her little modern day slave back and forth, the child trafficker is being celebrated elsewhere as a successful businessman .
In as much as we do not wish our own children to serve in other people's homes as servants, we should refrain from engaging the services of children as servants . We can equip our homes with modern technological slaves like washing machines and vacuum cleaners. We could systematically reorder our homes and learn to do few more household chores by ourselves; we could hire a cleaning person to come in once a week to help with some household chores; and we could train our young children to make their own beds and sweep their own rooms. This is the way things are done in civilized countries; there is no reason why we should be an exception.
©ABUBAKAR SADAMHUSSAINI
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