Damilola Ajibola
Chess wizard, Tunde Onakoya, has offered to sponsor the education of an 11-year-old girl (names unknown) who assisted her mother on a sweeping job at Ikoyi area of Lagos State.
Writing on his X platform on Tuesday, the Guinness World Record holder promised that he would see the girl through to the university level, if anyone had not taken it up.
News Contact Online recalled that a social activist by name ‘justdetoun’ had posted the video of a woman and her 11 year old daughter sweeping in one of the estates in Ikoyi area of Lagos State, as early as 4.30am.
In the post which has since gone viral, the lady accused the mother of abusing her child and engaging in child labour.
But Onakoya on his X handle @Tunde_OD said it was unwise to humiliate a mother in front of her child.
He recalled how he used to help his mother to sweep houses and gutters in people’s houses back then in 2016, in order to meet up for his family’s financial challenges.
The post reads, “Extremely cruel to humiliate a mother in front of her daughter like this. Even worse that this was recorded and posted on social media.
“My mother used to sweep people’s houses and gutters in 2016. It hurt too much that I could do nothing financially to stop her. I often insisted on going with her, just to help fetch the water she needed so we could finish quicker and get back home before daylight. I didn’t want anyone to see us. The poverty that pushes one to hide their labour in the dark is a painful one.
“Yes, that child should not be working. But more than outrage, what she and her mother deserve is compassion. The only humane response is to help.
“If no one has done this already, I would like to take full responsibility for the girl’s education through university. I hope this eases their burden in some way. These are incredibly hard times.”
