@The Silent Theft

@The Silent Theft: How Exploitative Practices Rob Our Youth of Education and a Future

As a vigorous, passionate advocate for youth and education and in my humanitarian capacity as the President of Project Youth Fulfil (PYoF), an NGO dedicated to youth, education, community, and leadership development, I have witnessed many heart-wrenching encounters. Yet, few have shaken me as deeply as the plight of Chi Boy, a bright, eager, 12-to-13-year-old boy whose education was cruelly sacrificed at the altar of economic gain.

Chi Boy, once a promising JSS 3 student, now spends his days arranging biscuits and sweets in a provisions shop, serving an unyielding master who refuses to let him return to school. When I inquired about his stoppage from school, his master explained - with callous indifference - that Chi Boy’s parents had “signed him off” after completing primary school. His master further justified his actions, claiming he had been "magnanimous" in allowing the boy to attend school through JSS 3, outside of the agreement. Today, while his classmates transition to SS1, Chi Boy’s life has taken a devastating turn. Now, he insists, Chi Boy’s sole purpose is to serve the shop, the very reason he was brought from their faraway village. Despite my repeated visits and impassioned pleas, the master stood firm, citing an agreement with Chi Boy's parents that prioritized servitude over schooling. This cultural economic practice, rooted in the Igbo apprenticeship system, though intended to create wealth and economic empowerment, is riddled with future-damaging drawbacks.

📌Education: A Fundamental Right Denied

Education is not a privilege; it is a fundamental, universal human right enshrined in both the Nigerian Constitution and the Child Rights Act. It is a weapon against ignorance, poverty, and inequality - a tool for empowerment and societal progress. Education is a torchbearer for personal development, progress, and well-being. Yet, for millions of children like Chi Boy, this right is being systematically denied and their future being silently stolen away.

The Igbo apprenticeship system, celebrated for its economic empowerment, becomes a tool of exploitation when it deprives children of education. It is a system that trades the long-term promise of a child's future for the immediate gains of economic servitude. Such practices are ruinous, not only for the individuals involved but for society as a whole. This is a betrayal of Chi Boy’s fundamental rights. His parents and master have robbed him of his future, consigning him to a life of ignorance and vulnerability. The promise of eventual financial independence through apprenticeship pales in comparison to the lifelong benefits of education. Education is not just a classroom experience - it is the most significant arsenal for combating backwardness, poverty, ignorance, societal ills and a potent weapon for negotiating personal life’s challenges.

📌The Tragedy of Chi Boy

Chi Boy’s story is a microcosm of a broader national crisis. Over 10 million Nigerian children are out of school according to UNICEF. His dreams have been reduced to ashes by a system that prioritizes profit over potential, his innocence exploited by those who should nurture and protect him. Without an education, Chi Boy faces insurmountable barriers. He will one day encounter his former classmates, now educated and confident, and be forced to hide his face in shame. His dreams will remain unrealized, his potential untapped.

Without education, Chi Boy’s future is perilous. The apprenticeship cultural system, no matter how promising, offers no guarantees. What happens if his master fails to fulfill the promise of setting him up after years of servitude? The shenanigan of human nature, unforeseen economic or natural disasters could strip the master of the capacity to deliver on his bargain. In such a scenario, Chi Boy would be left stranded, vulnerable, and disillusioned in the end. With no education to fall back on, he may spiral into crime or resentment, harboring anger toward a society that failed to protect him.

📌The Danger of an Uneducated Mind 

An uneducated mind is not just a personal tragedy; it is a societal threat. An uneducated mind is a ticking time bomb. When children like Chi Boy are denied education, society risks creating a generation prone to crime, unemployment, and social instability. An uneducated pool of young people serves as a veritable source of recruitment for promoters of evil causes such as violent secessionist agitations, kidnapping, banditry, political thuggery and terrorism. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Worse still, such children may grow to resent the very society that neglected their rights, perpetuating vicious cycles of poverty, bitterness, and despair, thereby  hindering national progress, peace, stability and development.

📌A Call to Action

We cannot afford to stand by as children like Chi Boy are denied their fundamental rights. It is time to overhaul - or, if necessary, scrap - any cultural or economic system that excludes children from education. Wealth creation and economic empowerment must never come at the expense of a child’s education. Chi Boy’s story is a stark reminder of the urgent need for collective action. If given the chance to continue his education, he could become a value-adding asset to his family, community, and nation. His education could inspire innovation, entrepreneurship, or leadership that benefits society as a whole. And for this to happen, we must act!

Parents must prioritize their children’s education above short-term economic gains. Communities must condemn and reform harmful cultural practices that exploit children. The government must enforce the Child Rights Act with vigor, holding violators accountable and ensuring access to free, quality education. Awareness campaigns must highlight the long-term dangers of depriving children of education.

At Project Youth Fulfil (PYoF), we will continue to advocate for the rights of every Nigerian child to education, competence, and opportunity. We refuse to let the dreams of children like Chi Boy be extinguished by selfishness and systemic neglect. 

Let us build a nation where no child is left behind. Let us ensure that education, the most powerful weapon against poverty and ignorance, is wielded for the benefit of all. For every Chi Boy out there, let us stand together and say: Enough is enough.

📌Conclusion

We must fight for Chi Boy and every child like him. Their education is not just their right—it is the foundation of a better, brighter future for us all. Let us ensure that no child’s promise is aborted by the greed and shortsightedness of some callous persons. Let us protect their right to dream, to learn, and to thrive. 

Chi Boy is eager to go to school but the agreement between his callous master and greedy parents held him down! Let us all rise to his rescue and others in similar circumstances!

Please note, this is NOT an attempt to gaslight a particular ethnic group. One bad example does not define an illustrious and industrious people!

Yours in passionate education advocacy,

*@Otunba Femi Abiola, CMIE*

*@President*

*@Project Youth Fulfil*

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