Child Abuse: Foundation Takes Advocacy To School In Oshodi

An advocacy group, Edge Foundation, has sensitised children in the Oshodi area of Lagos State on the dangers of bullying, sexual abuse and child labour, urging them to speak up against all forms of abuse and prioritise their personal safety.

The founder of Edge Foundation, Casmir Ozuruigbo, spoke on Wednesday during a Children’s Day sensitisation programme held at the St John Catholic Church, Oshodi, Lagos State.

Speaking on the reason behind the initiative, the broadcast journalist said the programme was driven by a long-standing passion to protect children from sexual abuse, bullying and child labour.

According to him, many adults experienced different forms of abuse while growing up, making it important to educate children on their rights and personal safety.

Ozuruigbo stressed the need for children to understand that they deserve to live freely without fear of abuse or intimidation.

He said, “It’s not just about doing sensitisation. It has been a long-burning passion in me to help children and ensure they stay safe.

“If we are being honest with ourselves as adults, when we trace back to our childhood, most of us either experienced sexual harassment, child labour or some form of abuse.

“It is really important that today, being Children’s Day, we use it to highlight the need for children to understand the powers they have and to know they are just children and should simply live freely without being subjected to sexual abuse, child labour or bullying.”

Commenting on the recent abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State, Ozuruigbo said the rising insecurity could discourage many children from embracing education.

“Children currently do not have a sense of safety due to the rising insecurity in the country.

“We saw what happened recently in Oyo State, where children were abducted in large numbers, and teachers were killed. Even recently, 42 children were also abducted in Borno State.

“The government is trying, but they are not doing enough. It appears the government of Bola Tinubu is overwhelmed when it comes to tackling insecurity.

“Now, when children no longer feel safe in school, going to school will stop being interesting to them. They may begin to withdraw because when they hear stories of children being kidnapped from schools, they will tell their parents they do not want to go to school anymore,” he said.

Explaining why the initiative focused on Oshodi, Ozuribo described the area as one of the communities where children faced difficult living conditions.

“When you mention Oshodi, Agege, Mushin or Ajegunle, these are places we are currently focusing on.

“When you look around, you notice that children from such areas often grow up under tougher conditions compared to children raised in places like Ikeja, Magodo, Ikoyi or Lekki,” he said.

He disclosed that the foundation had obtained approval from the Oshodi Local Government to carry out sensitisation programmes in public primary schools within the area.

Ozuribo said the foundation hoped to reach as many Nigerian children as possible through its advocacy and awareness campaigns.

The highlight of the sensitisation included practical lectures on identifying sexual abuse, bullying and how to report them.