Narrator: Welcome again to ‘Our Stories’. My name is Abasifreke Moses Akpan.
Today we will listen to the testimony of another child - Helen Uwana Bassey, a
drama sketch on a child whose mother took her to church and some music. Let’s
now listen to Helen.
Testimony
My name is Helen Uwana Bassey. I am in primary 3. I come from Eset Eket Local
Government Area. The name of my school is Crown Academy Nursery School. I
am 7 years old.
The time I was in our house, my mother took me to church and the pastor
prophesied that I am witch. My mother brought me back and started to beat me and
asked me whether I am a witch. I said no, that I am not a witch. She started to beat
me and said if I don’t talk true she will kill me. I start to be afraid so I say that I am
a witch. Before she said that your father that died, who make your father to die? I
said that I don’t know. She started to beat me and beat me and I said yes it’s me
that killed my father. She said I should not walk near her again. And she went that
she’s going to buy something. She go and brake (stop) bike and leave and abandon
me for my grandmother and leave me and go to Ikorosi and go and marry another
husband. Because my father has died in the Cameroun, before she go.
Since she went, she doesn’t even come to look for me and my sister again. My
brother used to ask me “Are you a witch?” and I said no. They used to beat me and
beat me. Then they dig the ground to put me (bury me) and I said yes that I am a
witch. Before they send me out of the house and they pursue me out of the house.
They removed my bag from me and my sister before we walk on the road.
We went and saw two people. Those people are also in the Child Rights and
Rehabilitation Network Centre. She was walking with her sister. Her name is
Angela and her sister’s name is Abigail. We see them and they asked us whether
we will walk with them, we said yes. We used to walk. One man come and took us
to a church and we sleep there. We wake up. One house, they don’t build it finish
(uncompleted building), then that man took us and told us to go and live there.
When it is time of market we will go and beg people something. Some will give us;
some will refuse to give us. We used to cry and walk in the road and we used to
sleep in the road.
Gary and Naomi come and ask us question and we answer. They ask us if we are
witches. We said no, that we are not witches. They took us to the Child Rights and
Rehabilitation Network Centre.
Narrator: Let’s now take a break and listen to this song titled Help me Lord
rendered by the children of Child’s Rights and Rehabilitation Network Centre.
(Lyrics)
Chorus
Help me Lord, help me Lord
Hold my hands and lift me up
Oh Lord (x 2ce)
The world has taken my rights
And frustrate my life
Lord help me (x2ce)
The pastor has driven me from my home
Lord help me
Prophetess has driven me from my home
Lord help me.
Narrator: let’s listen to a drama sketch on a child whose mother took her to
church.
INSERT DRAMA
Narrator: Listen to the testimony of another child.
Testimony
My Name is Moses Ekwere Ubak. I come from Ikoroabasi, I am 12 years old.
One day I was living with my mother. I asked my mother where is my father and
my mother told me that my father is not married to her again. My stepfather did not
allow me to stay with my mother, so my aunt came from Eket local government
and came and pick me to Eket. She said that she is going to take me to school after
taking me to Eket.
When she was selling something she came back from the shop and asked me to
plug hot water for her with heater. After I plugged the hot water, she said since she
brought me to Eket, all her market does not go well again that I am the cause and
she started beating me. She said that I should say the truth whether I am a witch. I
said no that I am not a witch. She removed the heater. One man was in that house.
He said I should say the truth whether I am a witch. She now used the heater to
burn my hand. After burning my hand, she beat me all over my body and said I am
not going to eat again. After then I stayed hungry. At last she gave me food.
One man said he knows how to remove me as a witch that if you give him
something, he will remove it. My aunt asked him how much he will collect to
remove me as a witch. He said 5,000 naira and my aunt said she is going to give
him 4,000 naira if he can remove it. After, my auntie said she is going to take me
back, that she does not have money to spend.
As she was taking me on Eket road, I did not know the road so as she was entering
inside the car with two guys, they stopped the car on the road. It was in the night.
My auntie threw me out of the car. Those two boys that were in the car started
beating me. They removed my clothes, kept me there and said I should stay there.
After staying there, I have no food to eat and I wake up. One man who was living
there was gate man to Emmanuel Hospital. I went and stayed with the man and the
man always gave me food because the wound was in my hand. Sam Ikpe Itauma,
saw me on the road as I was staying. He took me to the hospital with his friend. I
was staying in the hospital. They treated my hand. They sew my hand; they treat
me and take me to CRARN CENTRE.
Narrator: You have been listening to ‘Our Stories’. Please tune in this same time
next week for another edition of the programme. My name is Abasifreke Moses
Akpan. Thanks to Uncle Tony Okofu for his assistance and to UNICEF for
supporting the programme. The programme was produced by Auntie Mercy Njoku.
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