It was a cold, cloudy harmattan morning in Amaba, Abia State, when Chibuike Chukwu’s mother called him for an unexpected conversation. Curious, Chibuike asked his mother what was on her mind. She told him to pack his dirty clothes and head to the stream because in two days, he would be traveling to the city to live with his uncle.
Chibuike’s uncle, Chijioke Emenike, had recently married and was ready to return to Lagos. Like many parents in Nigeria’s southeast, Chibuike’s mother was happy to send her son to live with relatives, seeing it as an opportunity for him to learn skills and improve his life. She reassured him that he would be enrolled in school in Lagos, as Chijioke had promised to support his education.
However, upon arriving in Lagos, Chijioke took Chibuike to his shop to work as a sales boy, forcing him to abandon school at just five years old. Chibuike’s story reflects the reality faced by many children from the southeast who are sent to live with relatives, only to be denied education and forced into child labor.
In the southeast, fostering children is a widespread practice, often seen as a way to reduce the financial burden on parents. While it is intended to help children gain skills and a better life, it often leads to children dropping out of school and being exploited for labor.
A recent survey on child labor in Nigeria revealed that 24.6 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 are engaged in child labor. The southeast has the highest rate of child labor in the country, with 49.9 percent of children involved in such activities.
While some argue that fostering children to learn a trade is part of the local culture, others stress that economic hardship is driving an increase in child labor. Experts warn that this practice, if not addressed, could hinder Nigeria’s efforts to provide equitable education for all children.
The African Union’s declaration of 2024 as the Year of Education highlights the urgency of ensuring that children, particularly those in foster care, have access to schooling. Without intervention, the growing education inequality fueled by foster parenting could have long-term consequences for the country.
