Opinion
The Menace Of Child Labour
One of the greatest problems confronting our society today is child labour. Child labour refers to the employment of children in a manner that deprives them of their childhood and brings harm to their physical and mental development. Child labour should be seen based on the dangers it has on the children and the society at large.
In most cases, child labour involves children working under terrible conditions and missing school. Chidren are naturally entitled to freedoms as the freedom to rest, freedom to play, and most especially, freedom of education.
They might assist at home, work at weekend, but tedious works are meant for adults.
Parents are not to depend on the children for the family up keep, rather the children are supposed to rely on their parents for their welfare and not to fend for themselves.
Although not all work done by children is classified as child labour. Activities such as washing dishes and other chores done at home or doing small holiday jobs to earn some pocket money or supervised apprenticeships are not instances of child labour. They are referred to as activities that contribute positively to the development and provides them with good skills and experience that prepares them for adulthood.
Child labour comes in many forms worldwide. Children are made to work to pay off debts incurred by their parents. Some are used forcefully for commercial sexual exploitation, drug trafficking, organised begging on the streets and armed conflicts. Children are engaged in agriculture and domestic services and hawking when the child is meant to be at school.
These activities are very harmful to the child and they violate the child’s rights. Child labour takes many different forms and our priority is to eliminate without delay. The worst forms of child labour practices are the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour, including forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict. The use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances compound the problem.
The greatest force driving children into the workplace according to the International Labour Organisation is poverty. Another major factor driving children to harmful labour is the poor quality of school.
Child labour especially in rural areas is a form of vocational education, where children learned practical skills from their parents. Child labour is used as a way to instill a sense of responsibility in the children. These children are aged between 5-14 globally and work in hazardous low paying and undignified conditions inimical to their health. The situation remains desperate and can be handled with complacency.
Many girls and boys in our society are not opportune to attend school. Some try to combine school and work, but all to end up being school dropouts even before the age of employment and become child labourers.
This ugly situation, effectively endangers the future, usefulness, productivity, self esteem and prosperity of such children. It is our society that becomes the ultimate victims for this, bearing such results as destructive social vices on the part of the mislead youth, including premature pregnancies, high abortion levels and incidences of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or dysfunctional acts of violence.
There is no doubt that child labour in Nigeria has worsened. The quality of governance has deteriorated with corresponding decline in the diverse spheres including health care, education and job opportunities.
Also, it is not surprising that most of our major cities, thousands of under-aged children who should be in school engage in street hawking or serve as domestic servants while others are barely literate apprentices to mechanics, carpenters, vulcanisers, panel beaters and other menial workers.
This sad situation has unquestionably been alarming coupled with the bestiality of Boko Haram which has wasted many lives and property.
A critical study is needed to accurately assess the implication of child labour and how it affects our nation.
It is for this reason, that the change which Nigerians emphatically voted for in the last general election should begin to bear fruit for the sake of our much-abused children.
They must be provided with functional, affordable and qualitative education and health care.
Also their parents must be provided with good jobs that will enable them meet up child obligations to their wards. This calls for urgent and creative actions by government at all levels.
Government should prioritise education services and make them free, compulsory, relevant and attractive. Children and parents need to see school as a better option than work, as children have the right to education.
Attitudes and practices need to change concerning this situation. There is often too little objection by families and communities to children working. The government should ensure that laws are put in place to prosecute employers who also exploit children.
Government and governmental bodies need to know the various forms of labour, how many children are involved and information on the gender and ethnicity or origin of the children to understand what exposed them to such actions and proffer effective responses to their situation.
Children who are victims of worst forms of child labour be rescued immediately and provided with care and education that will make them useful to themselves and their society.
As it is, labour that affects the physical, mental or moral well-being of a child, which because of its nature requires our concern as it deprives the children of the human rights and freedom. Therefore all forms of child labour should be eliminated.
Nkemjika is an intern with The Tide.
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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