Protecting Childhood Innocence is our Collective Responsibility.
About two years ago, I read an edited volume by LSA President and my esteemed mentor, Prof Aderinto, on ”Children and Childhood in Colonial Nigerian Histories". The book is filled with interesting and thought-provoking collections of chapters by varied authors. One of the chapters authored by Prof Aderinto examined the contradictory nature of the conception of childhood, innocence, child work, recreation, and education between Europeans and Nigerians. While the former considers childhood in chronological terms(age), the latter understands childhood in terms of fulfillment of certain responsibilities and markers of maturity. The chapter includes interesting issues about the consequences of the introduction of European childhood modernity into the African context, which has a different notion of childhood and modernity. However, regardless of how each defines or determines childhood, protecting childhood innocence was central to each of the parties, and it was the foci of colonial politics.
I use the book as a backdrop for my thoughts because I find the book insightful and relevant for my concern about what I term the "bastardization of childhood and loss of childhood innocence. When I read the book, I thought there were no discontinuities between colonial and postcolonial experiences of children in Nigeria, but recently, I have reviewed my position. I reasoned that way because if we are talking about over 200 missing girls in Nigeria today, as one of the titles of a chapter authored by Prof Aderinto suggests, over "500 children were missing in Lagos". This is not to dismiss or minimize over 200 Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu. I write this to underscore the concern that children's experience is worse in postcolonial Nigeria when it should be better. It worries me deeply when I see and read of malnourished children and children abused and subjected to indignity for any reason, whether religious or otherwise.
The most nauseating stuff I have read on the internet today is the alleged molestation of a 9-month baby by his father. This story is one of the few that make it to social media. I hope the relevant authorities will take it up. The wife and mother of the victim made several claims that are worrisome, but the most important for me is the child. While it is not my responsibility to police adult sexuality, sexual choices and its outcome, it leaves a sour taste in the mouth when children are involved.
Posted on Facebook on January 11, 2021
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