Features
Alarming rise of child begging in Ibadan, Lagos, and Osogbo Exposes Government Neglect
Written By: Abdullahi Izuagbe
05 Nov 2025 05:50 AM
Ibadan, Oyo – A disturbing trend has gripped the streets of Oyo, Lagos, and Osun, where young children aged 4 to 8 are increasingly seen begging, a crisis that has sparked outrage and pointed an accusatory finger at the utter incompetence of the state governments involved.
Vocal critic Olukayode Bakre (@kayodebakre8) who took to X on Tuesday, posted a scathing observation:
"Too many young girls and boys (4-8 years old) roaming about the street, begging in Ibadan, Lagos, and now Osogbo. These young girls would soon reach 13 and they will be put in the Family way and they will start birthing babies on the street. Problem is loading."
His words echo a grim reality that the governments of Oyo, Lagos, and Osun states have shamefully failed to address.
This escalating crisis is not a sudden phenomenon but a glaring symptom of systemic neglect. Research from 2019 highlights the growing menace of street begging among children in urban centers like Ibadan, where the middle-class Mokola area ironically close to the prestigious University of Ibadan—has become a hotspot for this tragedy.
Yet, the Oyo State government has done little beyond empty promises, allowing vulnerable children to fall prey to exploitation and a vicious cycle of poverty.
The prediction of teenage pregnancies and street births is not mere speculation; it’s a foreseeable disaster rooted in the state’s inaction.
In Lagos, the situation is equally deplorable. Despite social protection policies like Project Zero and the Universal Basic Education Commission’s efforts to keep children in school, the poor funding, corruption, and overstretched facilities have rendered these initiatives toothless.
A 2024 study revealed a staggering one-in-51 lifetime risk of maternal mortality in Lagos, underscoring the dire health consequences awaiting these young girls if the government continues to turn a blind eye.
The Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, championed by the Ministry of Justice, exists on paper but lacks the enforcement to protect these children from a life of begging and abuse.
Osun State, now witnessing the same troubling trend, joins this trio of governmental failures. With no apparent coordinated response, the state governments have collectively abandoned their duty to safeguard the most vulnerable.
The rise in school enrollment across southwestern Nigeria, touted as a success, rings hollow when children are still flooding the streets during school hours, a clear sign that policies are either misimplemented or deliberately undermined by corrupt officials.
This is not just a social issue, it’s a damning indictment of leadership.
The governments of Oyo, Lagos, and Osun have squandered resources and ignored evidence-based solutions, leaving children to fend for themselves while bureaucrats bask in complacency. The looming "problem" Bakre warns of teen pregnancies, street births, and perpetuated poverty is a ticking time bomb, and the blood of these innocent children will stain the hands of these negligent administrations.
Citizens demand immediate action: robust enforcement of child protection laws, increased funding for education and social programs, and a crackdown on corruption that siphons resources meant for the vulnerable. Until then, the streets of Ibadan, Lagos, and Osogbo will remain a shameful testament to governmental failure.
The clock is ticking will these states rise to the occasion, or continue their disgraceful descent into irrelevance?
Vocal critic Olukayode Bakre (@kayodebakre8) who took to X on Tuesday, posted a scathing observation:
"Too many young girls and boys (4-8 years old) roaming about the street, begging in Ibadan, Lagos, and now Osogbo. These young girls would soon reach 13 and they will be put in the Family way and they will start birthing babies on the street. Problem is loading."
His words echo a grim reality that the governments of Oyo, Lagos, and Osun states have shamefully failed to address.
This escalating crisis is not a sudden phenomenon but a glaring symptom of systemic neglect. Research from 2019 highlights the growing menace of street begging among children in urban centers like Ibadan, where the middle-class Mokola area ironically close to the prestigious University of Ibadan—has become a hotspot for this tragedy.
Yet, the Oyo State government has done little beyond empty promises, allowing vulnerable children to fall prey to exploitation and a vicious cycle of poverty.
The prediction of teenage pregnancies and street births is not mere speculation; it’s a foreseeable disaster rooted in the state’s inaction.
In Lagos, the situation is equally deplorable. Despite social protection policies like Project Zero and the Universal Basic Education Commission’s efforts to keep children in school, the poor funding, corruption, and overstretched facilities have rendered these initiatives toothless.
A 2024 study revealed a staggering one-in-51 lifetime risk of maternal mortality in Lagos, underscoring the dire health consequences awaiting these young girls if the government continues to turn a blind eye.
The Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, championed by the Ministry of Justice, exists on paper but lacks the enforcement to protect these children from a life of begging and abuse.
Osun State, now witnessing the same troubling trend, joins this trio of governmental failures. With no apparent coordinated response, the state governments have collectively abandoned their duty to safeguard the most vulnerable.
The rise in school enrollment across southwestern Nigeria, touted as a success, rings hollow when children are still flooding the streets during school hours, a clear sign that policies are either misimplemented or deliberately undermined by corrupt officials.
This is not just a social issue, it’s a damning indictment of leadership.
The governments of Oyo, Lagos, and Osun have squandered resources and ignored evidence-based solutions, leaving children to fend for themselves while bureaucrats bask in complacency. The looming "problem" Bakre warns of teen pregnancies, street births, and perpetuated poverty is a ticking time bomb, and the blood of these innocent children will stain the hands of these negligent administrations.
Citizens demand immediate action: robust enforcement of child protection laws, increased funding for education and social programs, and a crackdown on corruption that siphons resources meant for the vulnerable. Until then, the streets of Ibadan, Lagos, and Osogbo will remain a shameful testament to governmental failure.
The clock is ticking will these states rise to the occasion, or continue their disgraceful descent into irrelevance?
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