Saratanya (House Servant) in Ethiopia and ‘Ya'yan Magajiya (Errand Children) in Nigeria

Abstract

Saratanya is the name for House Servant all over Ethiopia, whereas ‘Ya'yan Magajiya is the nomenclature for servants of Matrons operating canteens and brothels in Nigeria. The servants in these systems are exploited by their employers
and most often treated as if they are slaves. In addition to labour exploitation, the systems are conduits for commercial sex networking, drug pushing and human trafficking. Earlier
studies attributed the systems to poverty. It is argued that at this age of recognition of fundamental human rights, both the community leaders and the governments should ensure
that the fundamental human rights of servants are observed by their employers.

African Research Review Vol. 2 (1) 2008: pp. 213-240