Man found this baby on highway, then he saw an item left with him. The prevalent form of child abuse in Nigeria is baby dumping, which is one of the most common types. Although this practice is not new, the the frequency with which it’s currently practiced, as well as the detrimental consequences it has on the babies involved, have elevated it to the level of a severe social problem that requires immediate action. This article investigates the trends, causes and effects of the baby dumping phenomena in Nigeria. Taking this context as its starting point.
Market women who took part in the study were chosen using a quota sampling technique, which resulted in a total of 100 participants. The data was gathered through indepth interviews and focus group discussions, which were conducted separately. The content analysis and ethnographic summaries used to interpret the data were particularly useful.
Among the findings was the fact that the phenomenon of baby dumping is complicated in nature. A number of reasons have been identified as being responsible for its occurrence, and it’s been recognized as having a wide variety of social and health consequences for the newborns who have been dumped.
According to the findings of this study, a rapid shift from the current reactive strategy to more Proactive planning is required in order to effectively curb the problem. Residents awoke to find a baby wrapped in a white cloth and abandoned in the middle of the road amidst keeps of rubbish. When they woke up yesterday in front of St. Thomas Anglican Church, Mile Two Diobu in Port Harcourt River State. An unknown individual, assumed to be a single mother, had purportedly dropped the one day old infant off after 3 hours of negligence on the part of the residence.
The infant perished. According to the eyewitnesses, the baby had been dropped off the night before. Residents and business owners at the famed Ikoku Car Spare parts market in Port Harcourt were alarmed by the scenario, which prompted them to flee. It’s been speculated that the baby’s death may have been caused by the intense cold that occurred in the early hours of the morning. According to an onlooker who did not want his identity published.
Others were deterred from rescuing him because they were afraid of being arrested by the authorities. He said that the infant had shown indications of life, but expressed remorse that the baby had perished as a result of the lack of assistance. People congregated in small groups around the scene of the tragedy to talk about the discovery of the body.
The Guardian overheard one of the groups claiming that a newborn had also been dumped in the same garbage spot the previous year, which they confirmed. They expressed concern that the dumping of newborns at garbage dumps was becoming more common in the area and expressed displeasure with the trend.
As of the time this story was published, the baby’s body was still in the trash can when reached Namdi, Omani, the public relations officer for the Rivers State Police stated that the command had not yet been informed of the situation. Meanwhile, Dr. Joseph Apollos, a consultant pediatrician at the state’s most prestigious hospital, the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, has warned that excessive cold can cause the death of newborn babies, as can the failure of neonates to cry immediately after birth.
Among other things, he stated that no child should be discarded and pointed out that there are millions of parents who are looking for children to adopt from foster care. He warned young ladies and women to refrain from the practice of abandoning their infants, noting that if one does not require children, she can donate them to a motherless home where other people can take them in as foster children.
In spite of the fact that the International Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1976, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations World Declaration and Plan of Action on the Child of 1990, as well as UNICEF’s annual reports on the state of the World’s Children all advocate for the right of every child to a fulfilling and enriching life.
Children continue to suffer from various forms of abuse in Nigeria, including baby dumping and child trafficking. Despite the fact that there are no available data on the number of reported incidents or ditched or abandoned newborns in Nigeria infrequent state, reports from different parts of the country indicate that this illegal offense is being committed at an alarming rate throughout the country.
For example, according to the Child Care Unit of the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Development and Social Welfare in Ibadan, a total of 114 cases of dumped and or abandoned babies were recorded between January 2009 and February 2012, compared to 84 cases that were recorded between January 2006 and December 2008, according to the same register.
In a related incident, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Government on Youth and Social Development reportedly stated that the state of Lagos recorded 497 cases of abandoned newborns thrown in different streets throughout the state during the year 2011.
In addition, the Chevy State Committee on his BA or Social Welfare recently reported that it had recovered over 50 cases of abandoned babies in various areas across the state between October and December of last year. The current increase in the incidence of baby dumping in Nigeria represents a significant departure from traditional Nigerian or African sociocultural values that place a high value on childbearing and child rearing where childbirth is expected of every family and where a child is regarded as a treasure that is eagerly sought after by all.
Nigerians fear that having children is extremely significant for both men and women because children serve as a symbol of prosperity and ensure the continuation of the family’s lineage. According to Oyewhomi, motherhood holds a unique role in African cultures and communities since it serves as the fundamental building block of social interactions, identities, and society as a whole. The birth of a child was and continues to be more than just a family affair.
It’s also a celebration of the entire community. Baby dumping becomes a problem because it’s unethical and violates the dignity and sanctity of life of the most vulnerable members of society in the most egregious way. This act is a violation of the Nigerian Child Rights Act of 2003, which stipulates that no child should be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
And it also in violation of section 34 of the 199 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which States, Every individual is entitled to the respect of the dignity of their person and accordingly, no person shall be subjected to torture or to inhumane, degrading treatment. This act also is in violation of section 34.
Despite the frequent incidents of baby dumping in Nigeria, as well as the resulting public uproar that these incidents normally elicit, the social problem is failed to Garner sufficient scholarly attention to the country. Consequently, the purpose of the study was to advance the state of knowledge regarding the issue. The practice of abandoning a baby shortly after birth has existed for centuries, and the reasons for doing so are dependent on these social norms prevalent in a particular geographic place at a certain point in time.
They argue that the intriguing phenomenon of abandoned babies has widespread social ramifications and that it’s frequently subject to social change as a result of cultural variation in social conditions. Cher, Mueller, and Fox argued that the phenomenon of abandoned babies had widespread social ramifications and is frequently subject to social change and circumstances as a result of cultural variation in social conditions.
Babies are dumped according to Modi Morocca, when they are abandoned somewhere where they may or may not be discovered by others. The practice is among the most cruel and barbaric of crimes that can be committed in any jurisdiction on the face of the Earth. The author of Cindy argues that baby dumping is a violation of all core parental roles, including the provision of nourishment protection and direction to one kids at their most vulnerable periods of life.
Babies abandoned at birth will face the dilemma of lifetime confusion about their identity and genetic background. According to Philpott, the act is also considered to be an example of the reality of domestic abuse and poverty that mothers experience.
According to Philpott, the stereotype that only mothers abandon their children is incorrect because men also abandon their children at some point in their lives. Marks and Kumar, on the other hand, observe that while both mothers and fathers may be guilty of these crimes, women are more likely than males to be the perpetrators in the vast majority of cases.
Female baby dumping participants, according to Dresser, Burke et Al. Are often underdeveloped emotionally, lack problem solving abilities, and lack adequate coping skills to cope with their situations. Among the reasons for killing and or dumping infants, according to Bradley, include the adulterous paternity rape, illegitimacy, incestuous connections and the perception that the kid is a hindrance to personal progress.