Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s Weep Not Child captures the struggles of the African child, detailing its quest for survival. As many join children today in marking the Children’s Day, many have wondered at the reason for such celebration. Ajayi Taiwo Peter in this piece looks at the frustrations of the Nigerian child and its dwindling reason to hope.
THE sun’s intensity was high; its rays tore through everything on its path. Cynthia looked so much relieved in sleep. The pavement where she was taking her nap had flies yet she slept with utmost abandonment. It was obvious from her frame that she was little about age seven. A tray containing oranges was carefully placed beside her. In that sleepy state, she still made intermittent efforts to reach to the tray, thereby ensuring that it was still safe. A car sped past where she slept and that ruffled her nap. Getting up, she quickly picked her tray of wares and hurriedly moved along.
Cynthia’s situation aptly typifies the plight of the Nigerian child. It was against such that the United Nations many years ago took into cognizance the establishment of the United Nations International Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in 1946. The move was a primary measure to provide succor for children who had had ravaging experiences of war. Unsatisfied by this, the United Nations took another step in 1989 in adopting at its General Assembly, the right of the child. The thrust of such move was to facilitate the improvement of the quality of life of the child and to specifically focus global attention on the state of the child.
It must be stated that as grim as the state of the Nigerian child stands, Nigeria remains a signatory to the adoption of the child right by the United Nations. The child right clearly spells out the privileges of any child irrespective of the country of residence. From the cold corridors of the Southern Nigeria to the dusty domains of Northern Nigeria, the Nigerian child has constantly survived dehumanizing deprivation; its rights to education have consistently been questioned.
Despite the fact that Nigeria has enacted the Child Right Act, time and time over, the Nigerian child has been emasculated under the burden of role reversal. In many homes, not only are they forced out at the early hours of the day to hawk in dangerous highways, they are made to fend for other members of their families. It is not gainsaying the fact that the survival of these children are hinged on their (in)ability to remain financially relevant in the running of their homes.
“I often tell myself that it is hypocritical to take these kids out on Children’s Day and give them the false hope that they have a future. What future do they have? Is it the future that the older generation has systematically eaten away?”
For children all over Nigeria, Children’s Day will remain a day like every other day considering the biting lack that gnaws at them. On daily basis such rights, like the child’s right to protection, education, health-care, protection from child labor and sexual harassment, exploitation and drug abuse, unhindered rights to descent and affordable standard of living, right to being constantly protected from neglect and abuse, unfettered access to leisure, rest and play, right to been protected from illegal transfer and illicit adoption, right to non-discrimination in whatever guise, and right to live, are repeatedly disregarded.
Statistics show that Africa has about 10 per cent of the world’s population. Intriguing as this may be, Africa also records about 40 per cent of childhood deaths. The records indicate that many of those who survive are orphaned by the dreaded HIV/AIDS. It is disturbing that preventable diseases like pneumonia, measles, diarrhea, and malaria still pose as great death threats to many children in Nigeria.
As bleak as the frustrations may be, one would also commend the various governmental and non-governmental organizations that are championing the course of the Nigerian child. What readily comes to mind today in Nigeria that captures the dismal state of the Nigerian child is the Almajiri menace in the North. Yet the Federal Government has taken steps in this direction to see if the situation could be helped.
It is yet another Children’s Day, the question on many lips is what hope is there for the Nigerian child? What future can it boast of?
Written By Ajayi Taiwo Peter
The Lion Reporters 