By Lucky Isibor,
The Onojie of Ekpoma, His Royal Highness Zaiki Ehizojie Abumere II, has restated his commitment to the campaign against human trafficking.
The monarch pointed out that every right thinking human being is against trafficking in persons.
The Onojie of Ekpoma stated this on Saturday, 29th February while receiving an award for his campaign against human trafficking by Media Campaign Against Human Trafficking (MeCAHT), an international Non-governmental Organisation at his palace at Ekpoma.
The Onojie who received the award during the 2020 annual Ihuen festival described human trafficking as evil and wondered why parents who profess love for their children would allow them to be trafficked through dangerous bush paths and desert to Europe for prostitution and other social vices.
“Trafficking in human beings is an evil thing. As a traditional ruler, as a father and as a lawyer by training, I condemn human trafficking in it’s entirety. That’s why I keep campaigning against it. I didn’t know that these NGOs were observing me, they were noticing what am doing, and they came and gave me the award. Am very happy”
While appealing to parents to be vigilant and not allow their children to be trafficked, Zaiki Abumere II counselled the parents that there’s no where money is picked on the ground abroad pointing out that those abroad work very hard to earn a living.
He appealed to those who want to travel to ensure they acquire the relevant traveling documents and travel by air just as he advised against traveling through the bush paths, the sea and other illegal routes.
“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to parents not to allow people to come and traffic their children in the name of going abroad for greener pastures. It’s not easy over there too. People think they pick money overseas, it is not that easy.
“If you interact with those who are abroad, you’ll discover that it’s not that easy. They struggle to ensure they earn a living. To get a dollar, to get a pound is not easy. If you want to travel abroad, travel by air, not traveling through the illegal means. Don’t go through the sea or through the desert as some who go through these illegal routes even die before they get to their destination. That’s why we are campaigning against it.”
Zaiki Abumere II also sued for unity among his people and urged them to shun rumour mongering as his palace doors are always opened for them to cross check any information or thing they doubt.
Presenting the award to the monarch, the Edo state Coordinator of MeCAHT, Rev. Sharp Okoro who represented the Executive Director of MeCAHT, Anne Abok said the organization is very passionate about the fight against the menace of human trafficking especially in Edo state.
While enumerating why the Onojie of Ekpoma was chosen for the award, Rev. Okoro said MeCAHT was fascinated by the formation of an anti-human trafficking committee by the monarch to tackle the incidences of human trafficking in Ekpoma just as he assisted the organization with logistics and moral support during their campaign against human trafficking at Ekpoma and it’s environs.
“Your majesty, there are a lot of things you are doing without blowing your whistle, you are one of the few monarchs that have a committee working against human trafficking in Edo state. You give scholarships annually to vulnerable students thereby reducing illiteracy and incidence of human trafficking in Nigeria. Your synergy in sports promotion gives employment to the youth and inspiring hope with the far reaching effect of curbing insecurity and reducing incidences of human trafficking”, the MeCAHT coordinator said.
MeCAHT is an international Non-governmental Organisstion, which has it’s thematic area in anti-human trafficking and employment of youths and the vulnerable in the society.
