By: Kehinde Amusan
The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs(SSAFD), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa promised Nigerians that, victims of human trafficking in diaspora “that are willing to come back will be brought back”. She made this statement at the Faculty of Education Distinguished Personality Lecture to commemorate U.I @70. The event which occurred on Monday, 29th of October, 2018 at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan “is to raise a National issue centred on giving youth the right orientation”, said Prof. J. A. Ademokoya, the Dean, Faculty of Education.
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa started off her lecture themed – “Building the capability of Nigerian youth a against slave trade and illegal migration”, with a CNN News report video by Melissa Bell, which reported illegal migrants bewitched with a life of prostitute by the roadside. According Hon. Dabiri-Erewa, 80% of these prostitutes are Nigerians. She further stated that illegal migration and human trafficking has been happening for ages. She added that her office as SSAFD “brought back over ten thousands Nigerians stranded in Libya.” She also recounted awful stories of victims of human trafficking in Libya. According to her, a 14 year old Nigerian victim of human trafficking in Libya told her “she had slept with nothing less than 40 men.” She added that “80 Nigerians will be killed for drug trafficking in Malaysia.”
However, Hon. Dabiri-Erewa noted that “according to the NBC, the Nigerian youths seeking to migrate Nigeria has reduced.” According to her, the society, institution, traditional rulers will be helpful in alleviating trafficking of Nigerians. Furthermore, she engaged the audience on the causes of illegal migration and human trafficking. Thus, the audience enumerated “poverty, unemployment, greed, bad governance, illiteracy, broken homes, wickedness, lack of moral values,” among other causes.
Speaking of the way forward, Hon. Dabiri-Erewa said that “traffickers need to be napped.” According to her, “Human traffickers should be named shame and jailed by the court of law”. Thus, she told the audience to “let’s launch a campaign promoting awareness about these illegal practices”. According to her, “there has to be massive awareness” to fight these problems. She added that “fight against irregular migration needs NGOs, Parents, Society leaders, social media traditional rulers, among others to raise advocacy.” She further advised the audience to “embark on legal migration.”
In addition, she recommended that “there should be more funding for small businesses.” According to her, that is being done under the Buhari’s administration. She added that “there should be more technical training in the Universities.” Also, she advised Nigerian youths that “look before you leave” should be their slogan.
In conclusion, Hon. Dabiri-Erewa told the story of a victim named Gift, who was saved from the burns of human trafficking and has now become a fine baker as well as an Ambassador of Fight against human trafficking.
Abike Kafayat Oluwatoyin Dabiri-Erewa is a Nigerian politician and former member of the Nigeria Federal House of Representatives representing Ikorodu Constituency in Lagos State. She was the Chairman of the House Committee on Media & Publicity. Today, she is the incumbent Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora (Assumed office, 2015). Before becoming a full fledge politician, Dabiri-Erewa worked for the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for fifteen years, anchoring the weekly NTA Newsline programme and taking a particular interest in poverty and social justice issues.
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