Human trafficking trade – and more, in today’s news roundup with Cheta Nwanze

by Cheta Nwanze

abducted-school-girls

…. if you are in Abuja, please join in the rally tomorrow. Your voice must be heard. Typically in our country, when someone does rubbish, and is not punished, himself, and copycats, tend to get emboldened. This time it is around 200 girls. Next time, it will be more.

When I was much younger, the NCE was almost as big as WAEC, because at the time, everyone wanted their child to go to Kings or Queens. On Saturday, just over 95,000 students sat for the NCE. Now consider the following facts: first, entry age into secondary schools in Nigeria ranges from 9 to 11; second, according to our Population Commission, there are roughly 10 million souls in that age group. These imply that just under one percent of them wrote the Common Entrance. These, are figures that will haunt us in 6 years. Where were the remaining 99% on Saturday? Were they waiting to be trafficked?

You see, the human trafficking trade was worth an estimated $31.6 billion per year as of 2010. That, is no amount to be sniffed at. As a matter of fact, the sexual exploitation part of the trade is perhaps its most lucrative aspect. Which is why the pressure that our Prez is being put under as a result of the Chibok girls is welcome. We must, sad as it may be, begin to consider the possibility that those girls were kidnapped in order to be sold into sexual slavery. If that is the case, then by now our government should have made contact with the governments of the countries along the old trans-Sahara slave route, because that is the path that they will have to take to their new, sad lives. To quote Sola Lawson, the business of government ought to stop, until those girls are found.

Meanwhile if you are in Abuja, please join in the rally tomorrow. Your voice must be heard. Typically in our country, when someone does rubbish, and is not punished, himself, and copycats, tend to get emboldened. This time it is around 200 girls. Next time, it will be more.

Speaking of mothers, our Petrol ichafo is in the news, yet again. While her peers are agonising over missing kids, she’s agonising over her apparent flamboyance being put under a microscope. In order to prevent the hyenas from getting a stronger scent of her trail, she’s beaten that well worn path that was initially cut by a former Rivers state etibho. She’s gone to court. Aim, to get a perpetual injunction. Now depending on which of this, this or this is your preferred breakfast accompaniment, she has gotten the backing of the court to stop the hyenas. Now that, is how to put the judiciary to good use.

Bits and bobs

Another day, another ban. I do not expect to see the petrol ichafo carrying her own bags in the near future though. What nonsense! Speaking of bans, and it appears that education has been banned in our polytechnics. And it’s all because of politics. Speaking of politics, the Prime Minister says that #BokoHaram is political. She failed to name the politicians who are members of this new political party though. Maybe it is Murtala Nyako. It appears that his police detail has gone on vacation. Now, for the records, I don’t like that chap very much. Scratch that, I actively dislike the man. But he remains a state governor. It is about his office, not about his person. Can we learn to stop playing politics with everything?

Right of Reply

Ifeanyi Uraih wrote,

1) Gowon did not apologise at the Oputa panel. Infact he did not show up there. He apologised to the Asaba people in Asaba when he started his pet project “Nigeria Prays”. That was personal not official.
2) Just now I heard “Half of a yellow Sun” being advertised to premiere in all cinemas nationwide. How does the ban affect this.

Chxta responds,

1) Many thanks for the correction.
2) Our media have this way of running adverts even after events have passed. We’ve all noted that I’m sure. As of the moment, HOAYS the movie, has yet to be approved for screening.

Omon Ehighebolo wrote,

I strongly disagree with your position on the EIA on 2nd niger bridge. Yes the act does note that it can be waived but as we have learnt from project management waiving an EIA is a calamitous action and this part of the act should be removed. A project of this magnitude and far reaching environment footprint should not have the option of the waiving EIA. It must be done and we should support this, and give appropriate knocks to the minister that took this project for FEC approval without an EIA. Yes the 2nd bridge is badly needed, we don’t want to build a 2nd bridge and create floods that could wipe out an entire village close to asaba.
I will suggest that you support the right process for our sustainable future. Waiving the EIA will be you subscribing to “playing the ostrich” on this crucial project!

Chxta responds,

I subscribe to Bill Clinton’s philosophy, “it’s the economy stupid”. Simple and short, a second bridge over the River Niger will do untold good for our economy. Get the economy running first and put food on people’s tables. Then we can worry about floods that may never happen. I make no apologies for that stand.

Olawunmi Olajide-Awosedo wrote,

Three things strike my mind this morning:

1. Nigerians don’t really want the truth – nobody wants to tell it, and even fewer people want to be the ones telling it. That’s why there’s a rush to ban the Half of a Yellow Sun movie, because it makes some people uncomfortable.

2. The Immunity Clause is a convenient excuse to allow corrupt officials get away with murder. Our bankers don’t have immunity, but how many of them have actually been convicted and punished in a manner commensurate with their crime? Even if there is immunity, is it permanent? How many former office holders have been charged with a crime after their tenure as lapsed?

3. Most importantly, Nigerians are not really concerned about those poor girls. If not, why is there so much silence in the land? Why have people not taken to the streets in protest? Why is no one raising their voice? Why are Nigerians silent in the face of this travesty?

We are not ready for change.

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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

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