The Paramount Ruler of Udung Uko Local Government Area of Oron, in Akwa Ibom, Ahta Etim Ati, on Sunday endorsed the campaign to stamp out child witchcraft in the area.
Speaking at a community sensitisation meeting facilitated by Stepping Stones Nigeria Child Empowerment Foundation (SSNCEF), a non-governmental organisation in Edikor community in Oron, Mr. Ati said the traditional institution in the area was committed to the safety and protection of children.
"Child witchcraft syndrome is deep-rooted in our cultural beliefs and we have taken a critical look at it and found that there is no basis for it.
"The syndrome has done more harm than good to the Oron child and we have resolved to end the stigmatisation and abandonment of children that were branded as witches," the Ahta Oro V of Oro said.
"We welcome and support the moves by (the) Akwa Ibom State Government to campaign against the stigmatisation of children and we support the efforts of Stepping Stones in ‘coming over to Macedonia to help us' to secure the future of our children," he said.
The traditional ruler commended the NGO for the campaign and pledged his support to ensure that the campaign was sustained in communities in Oron and other areas where child witchcraft syndrome was pronounced.
Luck Inyang, Programme Director of the NGO, told members of the community that studies conducted by the organisation showed that the stigmatisation and abandonment of children in the area exposed the children to child traffickers.
He said the traffickers abused the children by giving them out as domestic workers in other states.
"It was shocking to discover that all the children found in the custody of traffickers by the police all came from the Oron axis, that is why we are here to deliberate on how to reverse the trend and protect our children," Mr. Inyang said.
He said that the passage of the Child Rights Act by the state had made it illegal to stigmatise and abandon children on the grounds that they were witches.
According to him, the Akwa Ibom Government had commenced the prosecution of 10 persons for violating the Child Rights Act.
Mr. Inyang urged community leaders and youth to ensure that the family values were strengthened by showing love to children whom he described as gifts from God.
Ati Ikpe, a community member, who spoke during the interactive session, called for the involvement of churches in the campaign, saying that they were involved in the practice of branding children as witches.