Toyin Taiwo-Ojo, a child rights advocate, tells GODFREY GEORGE why a teacher at the Methodist Girls High School, Lagos, Adewale Bakare, who was arrested over alleged sexual abuse of a nine-year-old pupil, should be released
What do you have to say concerning the arrest of the 48-year-old teacher, Adewale Bakare, on the grounds that he allegedly defiled his nine-year-old pupil?
The matter is in court. However, from the point of my belief in human rights, I believe that every human being has innate civil liberties that must be protected. They include the right to live, the dignity of the human person, the right to expression and association, and a host of others. I believe that Mr Bakare, like any other Nigerian citizen, has the right to move freely. However, the court had inhibited his freedom to move. As an activist and child safety advocate, when a child is being interviewed and there is a discrepancy in the child’s testimony, to get the real truth, we have to subject that child to a forensic interview. Now, this interview will clear the doubts on a lot of things because there are seasoned child psychologists and child social workers, who will be at that interview. We will not want an innocent person to be incarcerated for a crime he did not commit.
It is a pity that a father, who claimed that he is fighting for justice for his child, will now come to a point and not agree to go out all the way to make sure that justice is served. What if this act was not done by Mr Bakare? Is he not interested in finding out who this other person who has been perpetrating this crime is?
The child’s father claimed that some protesters stormed the school where his daughter was and ‘abducted’ the child against his will for questioning. What is your response to this?
That is a blatant lie from the pit of hell. I am not aware of such. The only protests that were made are well documented. They were aired. People can cook up stories to cover up their tracks. There is no veracity to that story from where I stand and from what I know about the whole thing.
The pupil’s father claimed that it was not the first time that Mr Bakare allegedly defiled his daughter. What convinces you that there is no atom of truth in that?
There is a presumption of innocence when it comes to an accused person in this country. Secondly, Mr Bakare has denied outright ever having anything to do with this child. The child in question has also denied it on three different occasions – with her guidance and counsellor in school, the Divisional Police Officer and Investigative Police Officer at Ilupeju, and the gender unit. I don’t know what Mr Arewa wishes to gain from punishing an innocent man. The child has said that Mr Bakare did not touch her. As a child safety advocate, I am interested in the safety and welfare of that child. If she is saying Mr Bakare did not touch her and a medical report is saying otherwise, we must know who did that (abused her).
What exactly did the medical report show?
The report showed that the girl had been tampered with. But, the girl has said it was not Mr Bakare who did it. I wonder why the father is insisting that it is Mr Bakare.
Why do you think Mr Arewa is insistent on his claim?
Why Mr Bakare? Why Mr Ashimolowo? Why Mr Biodun Martins? Even in the school, where Mr Bakere teaches, Mr Arewa had earlier accused a teacher. Why does he go on an accusing spree? That is what we want to find out. Everybody who is interested in justice should also want to find out. Why is he accusing these people?
Are you saying Mr Bakare is not the first person to be so accused?
These (claims) are all documented. The Ministry of Youth and Social Development, the Domestic and Social Violence Response Agency and the school where these teachers are staff members are all aware of all these allegations.
Mr Arewa insists that all the time his daughter was questioned, he was not carried along?
How can he say he was not aware? How can we torture a nine-year-old child? This should show you that all this is just a figment of his imagination. If he says his daughter was tortured, he should have taken that child to the hospital to obtain a medical report to show that the child was tortured. All these spurious allegations he keeps making are proving the fact that he is a negligent father. It shows he is an enabler and an accessory to the crime of defilement. He should also be arrested. It is a crime against the child to resolve such an issue without involving the court of law. This is not the first time, and he kept mum? This is an indictment on him. He is negligent as a father.