67 years old victim of human trafficking narrates
ordeal in the United States

New York, February 19, 2006—During a Community Awareness and Empowerment Forum organized by Africans In America, Inc. and ChatAfrik.com in New York City on February 18, 2006, the guests were shocked at the heart-wrenching ordeal of a 67 years old woman from Nigeria who is a victim of human trafficking in the United States. The victim addressed the gathering and pleaded for help.

Covering her face to conceal her identity, the frail old woman narrated how she was approached by an affluent and politically connected Nigerian woman living in the United States and offered a babysitting job, promised a better life and a salary of $300.00 a month in the United States in late 1980s.

She accepted the offer due to her excruciating poverty and hopeless situation in Nigeria. The traffickers prepared traveling papers and brought her to New York City (in the late 1980s, that was 16 years ago).

She worked as a live-in housemaid to raise 8 children for 12 consecutive years without pay.

She worked round the clock, wake up anytime any of the 8 children wakes up: early morning, day, evening, late in the evening, night, late in the night, (practically 24 hours). She cleaned them, comforted them, fed them, played with them and watched them for about 12 consecutive years without pay.

She stated that she also did household jobs such as cleaning inside and outside of a big family mansion for 12 consecutive years.

She also stated that she did gardening at the backyard (till the soil, sow crops, water the garden, weed it and harvest it) for 12 consecutive years.

She stated that trouble started when she summed up courage and requested for payment for her labor and services. Her captor threatened to get her deported to Nigeria for the asking and to deal with her.

She escaped and took temporary refuge in a local church and has been living in fear of her life

She has no legal immigration papers at present because her trafficker never filed for her. She stated that she is abandoned, stranded, suffering, hopeless, willing to co-operate with the authority and needs help.

Asked by the audience whether she want to go back to Nigeria, she replied that she wants to legalize her status, get paid for her labor and she will like to go to Nigeria as a free person and not as a slave.

Also featured were presentations by Omoyele Sowore of SaharaReporters.com, Professor Leah Blumberg Lapidus, Ph. D., ABPP, of Columbia University internationally recognized expert on stress and torture, Chief Temitope Ajayi Vice-President of All Nigerian American Congress (ANAC) was represented by Professor Harris Enabulele, MD, M.H.S. mental health specialist, Professor Adebayo Williams scholar, journalist and novelist, Sunday Dare of Voice of America and former staff of TheNEWS magazine in Nigeria, Milton Allimadi publishers of The Black Star Newspaper, Benjamin Afrifa representative of Ford Foundation, Olatunde Olusesi of Nigeria Social Workers Association, Afi-Sarah Okon of African Women Alliance For Progress, Akinwale Ojomo of Continental African Networks, other human rights leaders, African community leaders and people from various works of life.

In the audience were Kevin Ryan of New York Foundation, Lisa Vives of Global Information Network, Neil Kernis of Media for Humanity, Thamsanda Ngwenya of Center For Public Participation, Lookman Arounfale of Youth Organized Union, Yinka Belo of Yoruba Descendant Union NY Chapter and Imman Drammeh of Pan-AFSTRAG.

The forum covered various topics of interest to the African communities in United States, such as widespread corruption of African leaders, anti-democratic practices, underdevelopment and poverty among others.

Martin Akindana the C.E.O. of ChatAfrik.com gave guests gifts donated by MoneyGram.

Internationally acclaimed drummer and entertainer “Dr” Djobi from Ivory Coast thrilled the audience.

Bonaventure Ezekwenna the Founder and Executive Director of Africans In America, Inc. and Chinwendu Ofor-Nwoko of WTNH Television, Channel 8, Connecticut moderated the event, which attracted guests, blacks and whites from various cities and states in the United States.