Hunger: Children scavenge for leftovers at parties, prayer houses

 

Economic woes continue to befall Nigerians, due to the rising cost of living.

Job loss, unemployment, and low patronage in businesses are taking their toll on many.

Economy & Lifestyle discovered that adults are not the only recipients of these woes, as they have extended to children.

Findings revealed that due to hunger and the quest for survival, many parents have let out their children to scavenge for leftover food at parties.

Apart from that, children have left roadside and street begging. They also visit prayer houses to beg, knowing fully well that their needs cannot be neglected in such places.

Economy&Lifestyle encountered little Margaret on a church premises. She was with a big sack and looked very famished.

She approached me and begged for money or food to eat, pointing at two shabbily dressed boys at the other end.

She explained: “I am eight years old. My mother is sick and my father doesn’t live with us.

“My brothers and I heard they were sharing food and money in this church. That is why we are here with a sack to carry some food home to our mother.

“Please help us, we haven’t eaten since yesterday,” Margaret said.

Mrs. Shobowale Fatimah, a business woman, confirmed Economy&Lifestyle’s findings, saying: “The rate at which children scout for leftovers at parties is alarming.

By Elizabeth Adegbesan

Economic woes continue to befall Nigerians, due to the rising cost of living.

Job loss, unemployment, and low patronage in businesses are taking their toll on many.

I Can't give up because I have a mother and two brothers — Blind 23-Yr-Old Fabiyi...0:10 / 1:00

Economy & Lifestyle discovered that adults are not the only recipients of these woes, as they have extended to children.

Findings revealed that due to hunger and the quest for survival, many parents have let out their children to scavenge for leftover food at parties.

Apart from that, children have left roadside and street begging. They also visit prayer houses to beg, knowing fully well that their needs cannot be neglected in such places.

Economy&Lifestyle encountered little Margaret on a church premises. She was with a big sack and looked very famished.

She approached me and begged for money or food to eat, pointing at two shabbily dressed boys at the other end.

She explained: “I am eight years old. My mother is sick and my father doesn’t live with us.

“My brothers and I heard they were sharing food and money in this church. That is why we are here with a sack to carry some food home to our mother.

“Please help us, we haven’t eaten since yesterday,” Margaret said.

Mrs. Shobowale Fatimah, a business woman, confirmed Economy&Lifestyle’s findings, saying: “The rate at which children scout for leftovers at parties is alarming.

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“Many parents have resorted to sending their wards out because they know guests would take pity on these children when they beg for food or money.

“I attended a party recently. The venue was an open field. These children just came from nowhere and descended on the leftovers by guests who have departed the venue.

“I was shocked and wept. There were up to six of them.

“I wondered what the conditions of the parents were because the children were looking very unkempt and hungry.”

Mrs. Esther Tokunbo, a civil servant, narrated her experience noting that the term ‘mogbo moya’ (adults attending a party without invitation) was no longer accepted in many parties.

“If you attend an open venue party now, you will be shocked to find out the rate at which hunger is dealing with people.

“Many uninvited guests, because of the fear of embarrassment in parties, no longer come with bags and plates to takeaway food. They send their children.

“Before there was mogbo moya in parties but now such is not in existence.

“A proof of invitation is now requested in party venues with a tag placed on your wrist for identification.

“With the rate of hunger outside, these parents now send their children to such party venues knowing that in most cases they will be given food.”

Mr. Charles Akinduro, an engineer, said: “Before, it’s these Hausa women you see at the entrance of prayer houses begging alms.

“Now, it is our children. These children are privy to many information concerning celebrations in these prayer houses.

“When I leave the church on Sunday after service, there are up to ten children, begging for alms or food.

“On the occasion when there are celebrations, they fight over leftover food and you see them , pouring it in polythene bags to take home.

“This is what some adults do then but not with leftover food.

“Every time I see these children, I always feel sad knowing that the increasing cost of living is raising the rate of hunger in the country and the children who were meant to be provided for are now left with no option than to provide for themselves.

“It is a pity.”

In the 2023 Global Hunger Index, GHI, Nigeria was ranked 109th out of 125 countries, with a score of 28.3 per cent. The report tagged countries that scored 20.0-34.9 as having serious hunger.

This indicates that Nigeria is the 16th most hungry country in the world.

Analysis of new hunger data from Cadre Harmonisé, a regional authority on the severity of hunger crises in the Sahel and West Africa, showed that 5.4 million children are now at risk of facing acute malnutrition by next April, a 25 percent increase compared to the 4.4 million this past April. Among them, about 1.8 million could be experiencing Severe Acute Malnutrition.

The report also stated that next year , 33 million people in Nigeria will not know where their next meal will come from, including over 16 million children.