The 'Witch Children' of Nigeria

The 'Witch Children' of Nigeria

www.cnn.com

Christian Eshiett was a rambunctious pre-teen who spent a lot of time cavorting with his friends in southern Nigeria. He would skip school and run away from home for days, frustrating his grandfather, who oversaw the boy's care.

The teen is one of the so-called witch children in Eket, a city in oil-rich Akwa Ibom state of Nigeria.

They are blamed for causing illness, death and destruction, prompting some communities to put them through harrowing punishments to "cleanse" them of their supposed magical powers.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Witch Children? Arent children the most innocent and cherished anywhere? I think we should strongly denounce the treatment that these 'witch children' in Nigeria are getting.

Superstition exists in all socities, but for the society to blame and torture children over it is something that no country should tolerate.

Children accused of witchcraft are often incarcerated in churches for weeks on end and beaten, starved and tortured in order to extract a confession," said Gary Foxcroft, program director of Stepping Stones Nigeria, a nonprofit that helps alleged witch children in the region.

If this was Europe or North America, it would have been all over the MSM. It is comforting to know that aid groups in the west are taking cognizance of this and are pitching in to fight for the rights of these children, who like children in the west, have a right to education, career and a successful social life.

www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 18-5-2009 by sunny_2008ny]

This is why education must be a collective endevour in society.

Because you can either have collective education, or you can have collective stupidity.

There really isn't an inbetween option.

If a Witch Child came from Opera's School then we would be hearing about it.

I find modern news' taste for all things white deplorable. Their ignorance of everything in the African continent is closer to racism then the KKK are to white supremacist groups.

These are some photos of these children I found on the internet

Their writing skills seem to be good, that's if they wrote those signs themselves? Didnt know english was taught to young kids in Nigeria?

As for the witch part, I'm guessing they are looking to put blame for what's happening on kids? That stinks....

This is youtube video on the witch children

reply to post by sunny_2008ny


This kind of human depravity saddens me to the core.

What an awful existence for these children...

What else can one say about any of this? I feel sick to my stomach.

reply to post by lighter78


Watch the video series and you will understand where the signs come from.

Makes my blood boil.


[edit on 18-5-2009 by loam]

reply to post by Tentickles

Their ignorance of everything in the African continent is closer to racism then the KKK are to white supremacist groups.

The media in the west has to be more pro-active and empathic when it comes to covering Africa. I think these children deserve more attention than what the pirates of Somalia are getting today.

reply to post by sunny_2008ny


When I was in Nigeria, I found it a very frightening country - like another planet.

It is disgusting what they are doing, but not surprising.

Why hasn't UNICEF intervened?

reply to post by loam


Watched the video and am disgusted, poor kids.. Glad that the "bishop" was arrested, hope he is tried for murder! All about the benjamins yet again i see.. Those kids were not happy campers

edit to add i was glad to see the englishman there doing what he could! Still some good people out there it seems

[edit on 18-5-2009 by lighter78]

Originally posted by Tentickles
I find modern news' taste for all things white deplorable. Their ignorance of everything in the African continent is closer to racism then the KKK are to white supremacist groups.

What in the hell are you talkin about- my news is filled with stories from Sudan, Sri Lanka, Africa, Asia etc

I also had a quick scour of various newspapers, sites and tv news- I could not find one of them which was focussing on "white things"?


Wise up

Originally posted by blueorder

Originally posted by Tentickles
I find modern news' taste for all things white deplorable. Their ignorance of everything in the African continent is closer to racism then the KKK are to white supremacist groups.

What in the hell are you talkin about- my news is filled with stories from Sudan, Sri Lanka, Africa, Asia etc

I also had a quick scour of various newspapers, sites and tv news- I could not find one of them which was focussing on "white things"?


Wise up

Yea and my news is "fair and balanced." The steppin stones worker said he'd been there for months before he caught wind of this tragedy; one cannot expect every legit news article to be brought to them, that's why we're here, to find it. right?

reply to post by blueorder

I also had a quick scour of various newspapers, sites and tv news- I could not find one of them which was focussing on "white things"?

Yes, they don't say "white things", but if you see their analysis and opinions, then it is like - "those dog things in Africa"

Originally posted by sunny_2008ny
Yes, they don't say "white things", but if you see their analysis and opinions, then it is like - "those dog things in Africa"

Firstly, exactly, news does not focus on "white" things- it is the one racial grouping they try not to focus on in specifically racial terms and secondly I have no idea what you are talking about.

Take this article for example,, they are damned for not reporting on it, but when they do they are damned because it is a story about bad treatment of kids in africa?

reply to post by blueorder

I have no idea what you are talking about.

I meant that people in Africa are treated as unintelligent and inferior to the West, it does smack of racism doesn't it?

Originally posted by sunny_2008ny

I meant that people in Africa are treated as unintelligent and inferior to the West, it does smack of racism doesn't it?

This is confusing

* the news should focus more on African news (or else it is racist like the KKK and reports "white" stories)

* if it reports something bad, which is bad in this instance for these poor kids, it is also racist?


No, it doesnt smack of racism, it smacks of "news"

[edit on 18-5-2009 by blueorder]

Originally posted by lighter78
Their writing skills seem to be good, that's if they wrote those signs themselves? Didnt know english was taught to young kids in Nigeria?

As for the witch part, I'm guessing they are looking to put blame for what's happening on kids? That stinks....

Nigeria was part of the British Empire, English is the official language of the country.

Originally posted by The Last Man on Earth

Nigeria was part of the British Empire, English is the official language of the country.

One benefit of the empire (which also had many ills) was that such superstitions and practices against children (and against women) were actively opposed and attempts were made to eradicate such views/behaviour.

reply to post by blueorder

One benefit of the empire (which also had many ills) was that such superstitions and practices against children (and against women)

You are right. India had this practice of 'Sati' - a woman was burnt alive on the pyre of her dead husband. This was stopped by the British