The Vigorous Pursuit of Profits

In the 19th century in England, children and adults of both sexes were subjected to despicable factory labor. Even though there were several factory-reform movements that led the agitations for an end to inhuman practices in the factories; the stubborn, unscrupulous, and grasping attitude of the factory owners, who were in their private lives often kind fathers and husbands, such as John Bright, resisted reforms in their factories and still engaged children of nine years old to work in these factories. In the same vein in Nigeria today, the exploitation of labor, children inclusive is now very prominent. Underaged children engaged by those in the Organized POrivate Sector(OPS) and government contractors are commonplace in a number of states, while these contractors minimize costs by going further to engage cheap labor and procure inferior materials. However, in England, factories, workshops, and mines reforms became a reality after a long and painful struggle against the resistance of interested parties and the passive attitude of others.

Sadly in Nigeria, despite existing legislation on child labor and exploitation of labor, the ugly acts continue unabated due to the overbearing nature of interested parties who are beneficiaries of government patronage and stakeholders in the Organized Private Sector. Indeed, the absence of those in the mold of John Doherty, Robert Owen, John Fielden, John Wood, G.S Bull, and Anthony Ashely in the Nigerian space today; has allowed for the continuation of the anti-labor practices. This is obviously in favor of the government and the OPS, since the emphasis is on the benefits and not the losses. Unfortunately, the will of the Government at all levels to enforce regulations is almost non-existent and on the other hand slow in realizing its responsibilities. Not surprisingly, a strange development that is fast becoming the norm in major cities and towns across Nigeria, is the increasing population of prostitutes, minors inclusive, in newly constructed hotels. This is in addition to the emerging generation of young criminals, who report daily to older men and women in these hotels.