Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN
Nigerians have been urged to shun child trafficking as well as the move to legalise child marriage in the interest of the future generation of the country.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former chairman, Governing Council, University of Ibadan, Chief Wole Olanipekun, (SAN), gave the advice at the Dorcas Oke Hope Alive public lecture on 'Human trafficking and challenges of the African child' at the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan, said in a statement in Ibadan on Sunday with CEOAFRICA reporter that people should rise against the tow devils.
The DOHAL foundation was founded 10years ago in memory of Dorcas, only daughter of Bishop Wale Oke, the President, Sword of the Spirit Ministries, who died following usage of fake typhoid drugs.
Olanipekun, who extolled Dorcas' virtue, said, "Early marriage is part of child trafficking. The people should rise against the vices. Tell me where it is written in the holy books that a girl child should be given in marriage.
"A child of 13 would first see it as a child's play. It is evil. It is a vicious circle that has extended to the embassies. Why do the embassies give visas to our children? Human trafficking is a recurring habitual circle backed by a strong cartel.
"We need to ask what happens to a Senator who married a girl of 13.
We are compounding our problems the more, if we have outlaws making laws for us in the country. What do you expect from such personalities?" he queried.
According to him, we have the global convention which must be adhered. "There should also be reciprocity of love between the parents and the child. But now there is avoid; we are destroying the very foundation and future of our children."We have to appeal to our government that the foreign embassies have to be warned.
Do Russia and Italian girls come to Nigeria the way our girls get trafficked there? "There is the need for our people to talk to some of these legislators. I once discussed it with Senate President David Mark. There is need for psychologists to examine the people who are sent to positions of authority in this country. "We need to do a research into child and human trafficking. We must launch a crusade against this scourge to create a protective environment for the African child," he added.
He urged the media to create awareness, saying that "something good came out of slave trade. Our own Bishop Ajayi Crowther impacted the Western education. He translated the Holy Bible into local language. But nothing good can come from child marriage and trafficking.” He concluded .