In Nigeria, as in other African countries, there is a deep belief in witchcraft
practice and this belief cuts across various ethnic groups and communities.
Victims of the unproven accusation of witchcraft practice are usually babies and
children, who inevitably, get grossly abused, psychologically devastated, and in
many cases even get lynched.
The fear of “child witches” is relatively new in Nigeria and awareness of the
phenomenon dates back to the 1990s following the emergence of churches
whose “self proclaimed ‘deliverance’ pastors combine traditional beliefs with
evangelical preaching” (BBC News, Thursday, 04 December, 2008).
This paper aims to analyse suspicion, trauma, hostility or fear and their
legacies, associated with “child witchcraft” accusations, assess the role or
interventions of Government, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs),
Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) and Faith-Based Organisations in
stemming the unproven accusations, and eliminating the abuse on children.
Witchcraft is generally perceived to be “a spirit spell transferred to a person
through food and drink. The soul of the person who eats the spell will leave the
body to be initiated in a gathering of “witches” and “wizards”. The person
possesses power to wreak havoc, cause diseases …” (Stepping Stones, Nigeria).
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“Children branded as ‘witches’ undergo a lot of abuses, fear and trauma
ranging from beating, slashing their bodies with sharp knives, acid bath, and
forcing nails into their skulls”, just to make them ‘confess” (Telegraph, 08
November, 2008). In some reported cases the “witch children” are taken to the
bush far away from their homes and abandoned, thereby exposing them to child
traffickers and rapists.
In order to address the issue of suspicion, trauma, hostility or failure and
their legacies as regards ‘child witchcraft’ in a bid to eliminate the abuse on
Nigerian children, a well planned and packaged communication aimed at
achieving behavioural and social change among community members, remains
paramount. Communication for Development (C4D) is vital in ensuring
participation of communities in projects which concern them, which on other
hand enhances the realization of desired goals.
C4D involves evidence-based research studies (Knowledge, Attitude and
Practice, KAP Study and Baseline) that should be undertaken before developing a
Communication Strategy.
Access to Television, Radio (recently Community Radio), Social media, Internet
and GSM telephone lines is high. A multimedia approach is vital in disseminating
information to change people’s attitude and belief.
Social media promotes information creation, sharing and exchange. Most
organizations now deploy social media in sharing information on diverse issues.
My office for instance, has a website to which search engines direct internet
traffic. The Honourable Minister of Information commented that the additional
deploying of social media – Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, etc to engage the youth
and the Diaspora was “much more justified and rewarding to communication
efforts” during the fuel subsidy crisis in Nigeria (Maku, L, 2013; and on the
negative media report on polio vaccine effects, resulting to “zero on new polio
infections” 1st Quarter, 2013 (Muhammad Ado, 2013). Social media are being
deployed in terrorism battle too. Videos and photographs on NGOs’ Internet sites
exposed the “child witches” issue now attracting interventions.