Addressing “child-witch” syndrome in Akwa Ibom

His flourishing education business nose-dived after a 12-year-old pupil in his school was accused of witchcraft and subsequently ostracised by the community. As a result of the allegation, parents quickly withdrew their kids from the school, ostensibly to prevent them from being bewitched. In the long run, the school closed down, as pupils were no […]

His flourishing education business nose-dived after a 12-year-old pupil in his school was accused of witchcraft and subsequently ostracised by the community.

As a result of the allegation, parents quickly withdrew their kids from the school, ostensibly to prevent them from being bewitched.

In the long run, the school closed down, as pupils were no longer available to sustain its operations.

Theodore’s fate exemplifies the plight of many others in parts of Akwa Ibom state, where the “child-witch” syndrome has been creating serious social problem.

Theodore, fondly called “Monsieur” by his former pupils, today bemoans the destruction of his source of livelihood.

“The belief in child-witch is strong and the stigmatisation of those children who are so accused is very sad and rampant in Akwa Ibom.

“I must tell you that I am a victim because my school was forced to close down because of the witchcraft accusation levelled against one of my pupils.

“Members of the community, including the village head, ostracised the innocent child. When her life was threatened, I took her into my personal custody and as a result I was myself labelled a wizard,” he recalls.

Finding himself at crossroads as a result, Theodore was forced to take the child to the Commission of Inquiry on Witchcraft Accusations in Uyo, which ordered that she be kept at the Special Children’s Home in Uyo.

“For saving that child by my actions, the community members still hold grudges against me till date,” he says.

Recent media spotlight on the social problem associated with witchcraft has attracted national and international concerns, as various agencies — public and private — are devising ways to solve the problem.

These agencies include Non-government Organisations (NGOs), Community-based Organisations (CBOs), donor agencies and at all tiers of government.

Observers, however, say that through their various interventions, some measure of succour has begun to come the way of the victims of witchcraft accusations.

Today, a rehabilitation centre for the victims now exists at Eket and the centre was built by the Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN), an international agency.

At the inauguration of a programme at the centre late last year, UNICEF’s Country Director, Dr Suomi Sakai, urged all the three tiers of government to collaborate and stamp out the social malaise.

Sakai pledged that the centre would strive to bring peace, healing and dignity to the child victims who, who, had been traumatized by the society as a result of these fattish accusations.

She, lauded the Akwa Ibom State Government for showing enough commitment towards redressing the social problem through the domestication of the Child Rights Act.

Apart from government efforts, prominent individuals such as the international soccer star, Kanu Nwankwo, have also shown considerable support to the victims of witchcraft accusations.

For the third time running, Nwakwo is serving as UNICEF’s  Goodwill Ambassador to the centre, as he visits the rehabilitation centre regularly to fraternise with and mentor its over 200  inmates, who had been abandoned by their parents.

For the inmates, such encounters with celebrities have been psychologically and socially fulfilling, as they lift their spirits and give them sense of belonging.

Mary, one of the inmates, says she was thrilled to touch and play with Nwankwo, describing the experience as wonderful.

“I never thought I would one day see ‘Uncle Papilo’ face to face. It was a dream come true; I could see that he likes to play with children. I am very happy that he came to see us, we expect him to come again,’’ she says.

In his remarks, Kanu lauds UNICEF for its efforts in sustaining the child friendly centre, while making personal donation of beds and beddings to the centre, aside from his ambassadorial role.

According to Sakai, “Kanu comes to amplify the voices of children to reach the nooks and crannies of the world.

“Kanu listens to children, sees their needs, situations and explores ways to make them grow to realise their full potentials,” she says.

Analysts note that the Child Rights Act had been domesticated in Akwa Ibom, while family courts had also been set up to try parents who abused their children.

Akwa Ibom recently amended the Act, to make it criminal and illegal for anyone to call a child a witch. The Act prescribes up to 12 years in jail for offenders.

On his part, Mr Gary Foxcroft, whose documentary titled: “Saving Africa’s Witch Children”, drew world attention to the witch-child trouble in Akwa Ibom, praised Akwabo Ibom government for its initiative on the problem.

He described the action as ground-breaking, saying it represents a potent way to permanently end the social malaise.

Foxcroft added that more work needs to be done by all stakeholders, including churches, to put a final end to the problem.

However, the ongoing campaign against “child-witchcraft” has not been without some hiccups.

Late last year, the Akwa Ibom State Government had crossed swords with a coalition of child rights activists in the state, accusing them of over-exaggerating the problem in the state.

The government had been piqued by a programme on the Cable News Network (CNN), which used film footages from Akwa Ibom to buttress the prevalence of witchcraft in Africa.

Governor Godswill Akpabio accused some NGOs in the state of exaggerating the problem on the programme for financial gains.

The government had on November 22, 2010, set up of a commission of inquiry to look into witchcraft accusations, child abuses in the state and come up with recommendations to protect the children.

So far, the committee has not submitted its report, as it sought for extension of time to complete the task.

For now, officials of Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development say that there are over 178 children in their custody, while another 200 children, accused of witchcraft are currently in the centre managed by CRARN in Eket.

Mrs Mbuk Mboho, the Proprietress of the Gospel Village Children Centre, Abak, says that no fewer than 700 children are in their various centres, out of which 300 are witchcraft related.

She says that reports of deaths over witchcraft accusations were real in Akwa Ibom, as there had been cases of severe torture of the accused children in order to extract confessional statements from them.

The general expectation of concerned stakeholders is that the report of the commission of inquiry will significantly boost current efforts at enhancing the circumstances of children seriously abused as a result of witchcraft accusations. (NANFeatures)