NOT enough outrage has greeted the broadcast of the documentary, “Saving Africa’s Witch Children” by the UK Channel 4 on November 12, the material is available on the internet, the horror and the scandal contained therein are being circulated world-wide. Weeks later, there has been no report of any meaningful response to the horrific details of that documentary by the Akwa Ibom State Government, the Federal Government and the security agencies, other than that the Child Rights Bill has now been passed into law in Akwa Ibom State.
Very few electronic materials in the last decade, have done as much damage to Nigeria’s image as this documentary. It is a factual portrayal of the failure of the Nigerian state, the entrapment of the people in a shell of superstition and hysteria, the absolutely low value of human life in Nigeria, the abuse of Nigeria’s children and the opportunism of religious charlatans who lie, kill and cheat in God’s name. Covering the plight of children who are dubbed “witches” in Akwa Ibom, the documentary tells a familiar Nigerian story.
It begins on an appropriately instructive note: “Say Amen, Amen, Say Amen, Amen.” A Christian worship is in session. The substance of the documentary is how so-called religious leaders – Pastors, priests and self-styled Bishops engage in exorcism as they spread a scary gospel about the existence of evil and witchcraft in the Akwa Ibom community. This has led to mass delusion and hysteria in parts of the state with children, mostly being accused of witchcraft.
The children are exposed to all forms of dehumanization. One had a nail driven into her skull. Another was given poison to drink. Many were set on fire. Innocent-looking young children including babies under the age of seven are stigmatized and driven away by their parents and relations. Other parents take their children to churches where a Pastor declares the child a witch or wizard, who is in need of deliverance.
But it is soon clear enough that the Pastors are lying and cheating. They summon Jesus Christ, they shout God’s name but their claims are not proven. One Bishop Sunday Ulup-Aya says “we have 2.3 million witches and wizards in Akwa Ibom.” The population of Akwa Ibom, according to the 2006 national population census is 3.9 million. How did Ulup-Aaya arrive at his figure of 2.3 million witches? Does he run a population bureau? Another Pastor says “witchcraft is all over”. To cast out the evil spell of witchcraft Bishop Ulup-Aya charges N40, 000 per client and if a parent is unable to pay, he holds the child captive until the bill is settled. The children are not allowed to defend themselves; they are tortured and forced to admit guilt. This is what you get when a country is failing.
This documentary exposes a disturbing social reality in Nigeria: the reign of ignorance and obsession with superstition. Poverty has done terrible damage to our society and the souls of men. Surrounded by so much uncertainty and unable to fulfil basic ambitions, Nigerians are increasingly seeking solace in the new churches which promise “miracles and wonders.” In these churches, extremism is the norm; any form of disappointment or career setback is identified as the handiwork of witches and wizards. And the priest, claiming to have supernatural powers, immediately points to a child, a relation or a colleague at work as the Devil. So many relationships have been destroyed as a result.
The churches organise what they call special Deliverance sessions, sometimes overnight, or early in the morning and every activity is targeted at “that witch in your life that is blocking your progress”. Go to any of those churches and witness how feet-stumping, hysterical men and women scream: “Holy Ghost Fire, Burn Them”; “Father Kill My Enemy” “My enemy die, die. I say die, die, die, die by fire now” Thus, many churches have been taken over by closet assassins and murderers looking for witches, wizards and enemies to kill. Too many atrocities have been committed in Nigeria in God’s name.
Africans generally are superstitious. Witches and wizards are part of the African world-view and the fear of Satan is such a living companion of the Christian doctrine.. But this should not provide an excuse for criminality. The dehumanisation of the children in the Channel 4 UK documentary should have prompted government and its agencies into action. It is noteworthy that although “there are 2.3 million witches in Akwa Ibom”, it is only children that are being targeted by the self-appointed exterminators of witches. It is further instructive that the children who are being stigmatised, are children from poor homes. Poor children are the greatest victims of the failure of the Nigerian state. Many underprivileged parents would throw away their children for any reason whatsoever.
The documentary confirms the extent of the anomie in the land. What kind of brainless parent will accept that his child is a witch just because a Pastor has said so? Why are the witch-hunters targeting children who are defenceless and vulnerable? Are there no adults among Bishop Sunday’s 2.3 million witches? In other parts of Nigeria, children are abused in other ways. They are kidnapped and used for money-making rituals. Girls are raped. Both boys and girls are taken out of school and sent onto the streets as hawkers.
The weakest link in dealing with this, is government’s non-challant attitude. Between 1999-2007, civil society groups campaigned vigorously for the passing of the Child Rights Act across the states and at the National level. The Act was opposed in many of the State Houses of Assembly on the grounds that it contains provisions that are insensitive to the people’s culture. And what culture was being referred to? – The freedom to sustain such practices as child–marriage, female circumcision and child labour. It is sad that at a time when other nations of the world are sending their children to schools, offering them welfare support and equipping them for the future, Nigeria is labelling its own children witches and wizards, and dehumanising them.
In 1692 there was a witchcraft inquisition in the United States, in Salem, Massachussetts. In Nigeria, in the middle part of the 19th Century twins were being branded evil in Calabar, until Mary Slessor, a Christian missionary, helped to put a stop to their killing. During the Middle Ages in Europe, millions of women were labelled witches and executed. Today, the United States is no longer stoning witches. In Salem, there is a Witchcraft Heights Elementary School and the Salem High School Football team is called The Witches. Nigeria is still in the Middle Ages. The growing number of Nigerian children in difficult circumstances says a lot about the country’s future. How will Nigeria compete in the future with so many ignorant and poor parents, 10 million kids out of school, and about the worst infant mortality and maternal morbidity rates in the world?
The documentary reports the humanitarian efforts of two Non-Governmental Organisations – Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN) led by Sam Ikpe-Itauma and his wife and Stepping Stones, Nigeria represented by Gary Foxcroft – a 29-year old British charity worker. Since 2003, both NGOs have been providing accommodation and support for abandoned “witch” children. Itauma and Foxcroft run a home and a school where witch-children are given an opportunity to be human. “Once a child has been stigmatised as a witch, it is very difficult for someone to accept that child back. If they go out from this community…there is a lot of attacks, assault and abuses on the children”, says Itauma.
The Akwa Ibom State Government should have intervened to stop the madness. The children should be interviewed and offered support. Their parents and the Pastors who demonised them should be tracked down and made to face the wrath of the law. Their impunity should not be allowed to go unpunished. Many of the children were assaulted and disfigured. There are grounds for charging their tormentors with attempted manslaughter, assault, abduction and other offences. The implementation of the Akwa Ibom Child Rights Edict should begin.
Even if those three-year old babies in the documentary are witches, no one has the right to inflict punishment on them. Nigerian law criminalises witchcraft and sorcery, but only a court of law is empowered to determine this, not a Bishop Sunday administering what he calls “poisonous destroyer”. On camera, this same Sunday reports that he has killed up to 110 witches. What are the police still waiting for? Who gave him the authority to declare a man a witch and then kill him? He also says he collects N40,000 to free a child from the hold of witchcraft. He is obviously a businessman. Helen Ukpabio, Prophetess and Founder of the Liberty Foundation and Gospel Ministries has spoken in defence of the anti-witchcraft campaign by Pentecostal pastors. Does she know something that she should also be telling the police?
The witches of Akwa Ibom are not those innocent children, but those who have mismanaged Nigeria’s resources, and made it difficult for parents and their children to have a good life. The long-term solution is in the province of purposeful leadership and developing Nigeria and its people. The Akwa Ibom State Government must resist the temptation to dismiss the Channel 4 UK Documentary as Western propaganda or a spoiler’s effort, organized by NGOs seeking foreign funding. For their passion and courage, Sam Ituama and Gary Foxcroft’s names should be on this year’s National Honours list.
By protecting over 150 rejected “witch-children”, they took a risk. And if those children were witches anyway, the two Good Samaritans and their team could have been “eaten”. After all, Bishop Sunday Ulup-Aya says “winches eat human beings.” Winches? He also quotes Jesus Christ. But the Lord Jesus Christ says in Matthew 19: 14: “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the Kingdom of heaven”.
By Reuben Abati