By Bose Adelaja

In 1976, thousands of Black school children took to the streets of Soweto, South Africa, in a march more than half a mile long. They protested the inferior quality of their education and demanded their right to be taught in their own languages.

In the two weeks that followed, during what came to be known as the “Soweto Uprising”, hundreds of innocent people, especially young boys and girls, were massacred and thousands injured. Beginning from 1991, every June 16 has been earmarked to honour these innocent children as a proof that their lives were precious to the whole world.

The Scripture has it that children are a special gift from God, a special reward from the Almighty. Hence, a child is not something you buy with money no matter how wealthy you are. Indeed there are many well-to-do couples who have visited  several hospitals, trado-medical and healing homes, searching for these precious gift from God to no avail.

The futility of this quest has in some cases led to several homes being broken even after so much money has been spent, especially against the backdrop that the purpose of marriage, particularly in Africa, is to raise children which underlines the importance of children to a family.

But even though children are regarded as important, many of them still lack adequate love and care, no thanks to what has come to be known as child abuse, a cankerworm that has eaten deep into the society.

Child abuse is said to be the maltreatment of a child either consciously or otherwise. It could be physical, emotional, sexual or through neglect and battery as the case may be.

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC and the Department for Children and Families, DCF, define child abuse as an act or series of acts of commission by a parent or care-giver that result in harm, potential for harm or threat of harm to a child.

A cross section of participants at the conference

This kind of treatment has become common in some African communities where many parents, particularly the semi-illiterates, do not see it as an offence to beat, batter, molest or abuse a child as they see beating as a means of correction when their child makes a mistake.

This practice has been in existence for decades and would have continued unrestrained but for the emergence of some organisations who have intervened occasionally to halt the practice.

In year 2005, Nigeria adopted the Child Rights Law intended to domesticate the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  Although this law was passed at the federal level, only 16 out of the 36 states have followed suit.

Four years ago, Vanguard Media Limited joined other interventionist groups in drawing public attention to the problem of the child in Nigeria through the  annual Children Conference which started in  2009.

The 2012 version of the conference which was organised in collaboration with the Lagos State Government and the Centre for Black African Arts and Civilisation, CBAAC, took place on Thursday June 28, at the Muson Centre, Lagos.

At the conference, matters concerning the welfare of children were discussed to the delight of about 500 children. It was an occasion that left many adults present wishing to become like children again, if possible.

Various speakers at the conference highlighted the importance of the programme and advised parents on how best to handle their wards so that they will not offend God as the essence of bringing children into the world is not to punish them.  Parents were also advised not to over-pampered their children or  mistake discipline for child abuse.

For instance, a mild drama played out recently at Agbado-Crossing area of Ogun State when Vanguard Metro, VM, ran into a scene involving four kids of ages between seven and nine years who were indulging in immoral act. It soon emerged that they were re-enacting something they had seen adults do before them without regards to the negative impression such would have on these children.

Speaking with VM, a Lagos-based educationist, Mrs. Funmilola Ogunnowo said child abuse occurs due to the fact that the family structure has collapsed. ‘’In the past, child upbringing used to be the responsibility of both parents. The father goes to work, while the mother stays at home with the kids.

“Nowadays, the family structure has broken down as both parents leave the children at the mercy of house-helps or distant relations while they are busy chasing after money. So, children do not have enough supervision any longer,’’ he said.

Also, a Principal Research Officer, CBAAC, Dosunmu Adesegun, told VM that child abuse has to do with exposure to all forms of actions that could hamper growth mentally, emotionally, socially or academically as it affects children. He called on affected children to speak up and share their experience in order to lessen the burden.

‘’The best way to help children out of this predicament is to organise programmes to facilitate interaction; such programmes should throw up a problem for discussion for parents and children,” he said.