By Mecky I. Peter
Stepping Stones Nigeria (SSN) is reportedly sponsoring another documentary in Akwa Ibom State. The focus of this documentary this time round is not however clear. But investigation revealed that some children, mostly mentally derailed ones were seen being interviewed by a UK based journalist, one Robin Hammond who works for the London Telegraph and Guardian.
Investigation revealed that the journalist visited the Divine Children home in Uyo where they secretly filmed some children while interviewed. Another report has it that the crew visited the Psychiatric Hospital in Eket where they offered financial inducement to allow them film some mentally ill persons mostly children.
A junior officer ?in the only Psychiatric Hospital said he felt so bad and uncomfortable the way the journalists were interviewing, snapping and filming the children.
?They initially made us to believe that they were charity workers who came to offer support to the inmates here. But the way they were interviewing, filming and capturing the sick ones made me to realize they were journalists as they did not even give anything as donation except offering some amount of money which I did not know to one of the officers who was aware of their coming. I was concerned that this could lead to some problem when our boss becomes aware.
?They saw a child who was brought from Uyo, the Divine Children Home and they knew her already; and if it was planned, they paid more attention to her than others after their. It was then I knew she was one of the children labeled as a witch. He Spoke to some of them, but this was not an official visit?..
Robin Hammond came to Nigeria with Gary Foxcroft in 2007 with one lady where they did a documentary titled: Children are Targets of Nigerian Witch-Hunt which was an encouraging first move to bringing to limelight the unheard-of story of the Nigerian witch children.
Nonetheless, what the new documentary is targeting mentally ill children with the sponsor of Stepping Stones Nigeria?s Director, Mr Foxcroft will bring about, is still a matter of gesticulation.
A staff in the Divine Children Home, Uyo confirmed the visit of the journalist, but said he was not aware that they were doing secret filming.
Of course, the white man came here with two black men; we did not know their main mission. What they have in mind was only known to them. Some white men have been coming here as charity worker. But this one did not say they were charity workers. Said they only come to visit the children, so we give them access.
Mr Rocky Nsi, a budding journalist in the Akwa Ibom state said he was contacted to serve as a guide to them but declined as he did not know their main motif.
An astute observer, revealed that since Stepping Stones Nigeria?s coffer was fast depleting, Mr Foxcroft and with the newly established NGO called??Witchcraft and Human Rights?Information?Network?(WHRIN)?founded by Gary Foxcroft himself, there was the need for another documentary to boost the new organization. This too could be a good guess work. We will find out and report soon ?what the new Gary-Hammond documentary is all about.
Mecky I. Peter – Uyo
