Trafficking In Women And Children In Yorubaland: A Pre And Post Colonial Explorations Compared

Abstract

Trafficking in women and children, though a global phenomenon nowadays, it
predates civilization, modernization and globalization. Culturally, some aspects of Yoruba
people\'s culture encouraged it. Contrary to the UN current view that extracting the labor of
women and children in particular, under certain age, was prohibitive, the culture of Yoruba
people of Western Nigeria encouraged it. To them, there is a proverb that says that ati kekere laa ti pe kan iroko, to ba dagba tan apa ko nii kaa mo (children are better caught young, or else it would be difficult to mould them when they grow up). This informs the training of children at tender age in the business of trading and engagement in other forms of work.

International Journal of Policy and Development Studies Vol. 3 2007: pp. 16-40