पेइंग फॉर थे सिंस ऑफ़ यौर CHILD

PAYING FOR THE SINS OF YOUR CHILD

Years back when I was living in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state one of my friends neighbor’s, a local 419 operator known in the local parlance as “Utoto” beat his son mercilessly for stealing. When we confronted him and jokingly told him that he was a thief and a criminal and the son was following his footsteps he told us that though he was a criminal none of his children would be a criminal and that he would rather kill such a child than allow the child to spoil his family name. Can you see who is protecting his family name? Even criminals want to have good children.

Recently, Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Innocent IIozuoke at a press briefing in Owerri declared that the state Police Command would arrest parents of people involved in kidnapping. The argument of the police boss is that it is the responsibility of parents to bring up their children in the right way. I condemn kidnapping, abduction and every form of criminality. I strive as much as possible to be on the right side of law. With all modesty, I am a law abiding and obedient citizen of Nigeria. But the idea of my innocent mother in the village paying for my crime is unacceptable. Even God himself repented and said that children would no longer suffer for the sins of their parents rather the soul that sin shall die. So why should an innocent parent pay for the sin of a child who decided to embark on self destruction through crime. What is the position of the Nigerian Constitution and laws on arresting a parent for the crime of a child? Is the police commissioner advocacy legal and constitutional? Are we going back to the military era when people were arrested for the offence of their relations?

Some parents may, directly or indirectly, encourage their children into crime but not every parent. Child upbringing is a trickish business; some have it easy, others do not. According to the Bible, it is not by power or might but the spirit of God that we achieve certain things in life and not that we are smarter, more intelligent, righteous or religious than others. It is the sheer grace of God that ones children turn out well and do well. Many of the children who turn out bad are from good homes and were given proper home training but some decide to do the opposite of what they were taught at home.

Though some parents maybe in the know that their children are criminals and they even benefit from the proceeds of such criminal activities but most parents are not in support of their children’s anti social behaviors. A parent could be arrested for the crime of his child if that child uses the parents’ vehicle or premises for the crime; or there is concrete evidence showing that the parents gave support to the child in the course of committing the crime. This idea of arresting parents for their children’s crime if allowed to take place would be taken advantage of by Nigerians. All I have to do to get my enemies (perceived or imaginary) is to accuse their child of kidnapping and before the family may have the opportunity to say “I no follow”, the parents are in detention for a crime that might not have been committed in the first place or for what they are innocent of. Trust Nigerians for being experts at finding legal loopholes in every law and manipulating them to suit their desires.

Ilozuoke’s suggestion that parents should monitor their children is a good one and acceptable. But how can a man living and working in Lagos monitor his ward who is a student of Imo State University, Owerri. Monitoring an undergraduate would have been possible if all the students in tertiary institutions and their parents were residents of the town where their institutions are located. Even at that the child would still have one excuse or the other to go out. When I was an undergraduate I preferred reading in the night (in the school premises) because there would be less distraction; and one was sure of a steady power supply. I did not embark on evil deeds when I am out in the night. I could have done anything as my parents were not there with me. With the dismal performance of the public power supply every parent would allow his child to go out to read and so when the child is out of the house how do you monitor his activities?

Since they have failed or their children refused to be good should parents have to pay for sins of their wards? Would Ilozuoke be happy to be sacked from the police force because a constable within his command collected N20 from a motorist? How would the commissioner feel if he is arrested on an allegation that he child was involved in an examination malpractice? Would he not cry foul if he is punished for an offence committed by any of his men, even when he was not aware or supported the offence? Should a teacher be punished for his students’ inability to pass examinations? Should a preacher be blamed for his church members sinful lifestyles, who refused to abide by the word of God, preached by their pastor?

The commissioner of police can go ahead and arrest wives and children of public officers accused of corruption as they are direct beneficiaries of these loots, if their spouses and parents are guilty. He could as well go for family members of Nigerians who aid and abet electoral malpractices. The police boss should also arrest families of policemen who are accused of extortion and other forms of corrupt practices. Any man that commits a crime should pay for his offence except there is concrete evidence that his family members aid and abet the commission of such crime. The police should improve on its intelligence service and investigation skills instead of resorting to the easy way out- arresting relatives of criminals.