Abstract

This study is on the plight of children of un-identified parents, or abandoned children, in our society. Children of un-identified parents are human beings below the age of eighteen (18) years whose parents cannot be traced and who have handed their parental responsibility to unknown people. This act is nearly always deliberate and is done for different reasons. Abandoned children were found in the Old Testament era, and they are commonly found in many places in our society, with particular reference to the South-East geo-political zone, which comprises Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States. The respondents and the scholars consulted are of the opinion that these children face a number of challenges beyond their control. These challenges deserve the intervention of the church, under the auspices of the Christian Association of Nigeria (C.A.N.), South-East Zone, to complement the efforts of government and non-governmental organizations in finding solutions to them. With such intervention, abandoned children will have a new lease of life, full of hope and prospects for better living, and the anti-social behaviour that some of these children exhibit will be reduced.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

In recent times, the menace of abandoned children has become one of Nigeria's major sociological challenges. There are children in all directions, with reports of abandonment, exploitation, misery and oppression by unidentified parents. Children are often wrapped in bags and abandoned in dustbins, at roadsides and street corners, and in uncompleted buildings, or are thrown into pit toilets, by people who are not ready to care for them. They are abandoned because of the fear of shame and stigma attached to having illegitimate children, or because the children are malformed. Some are taken into homes where they arrive with many pathetic stories of pain, rejection, abuse and torture. These children are most probably abandoned by their parents for varying reasons, which may include inability to provide enough economically to sustain the family. Some parents are ashamed of having children outside wedlock, and these are mostly students who are ashamed of disappointing the parents who pay for their schooling. For these reasons, the children are abandoned. In some cases they are denied their fundamental human rights, and they are also used for ritual purposes, which reveals a frightening and widespread disdain for them.

There are many known instances of child abandonment in Nigeria, especially in the South-East zone, which comprises Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States. One estimate puts the number of children abandoned in the South-East since 1998 at about 5,000, and many bodies have turned up. Recent scholarship on the region points to a related trade in babies. Okonkwo and Obi-Ani (2020) report that in 2014 about 2,500 teenage girls were rescued by the police from baby factories in south-eastern Nigeria, and they ask whether the upsurge of this practice reflects the erosion of cultural values or the effect of capitalism. The estimated numbers of abandoned children in present-day society call for urgent attention.

Child abandonment is not unknown in the Old Testament, since there were many wars among the people, which could leave some unfortunate children homeless, and these children in turn became abandoned children. The sacrifice of children to Molech also attests to the abandonment of children in the Old Testament, and God expressed his displeasure over this act of human sacrifice, since the God of Israel abhorred the sacrifice of children (Lev. 20:2–5). Danam (2018), in a study of the sacrifice of the firstborn in the Hebrew Bible, concludes that child sacrifice to Molech was commonly practised among surrounding peoples and that the biblical writers presented it as abhorrent to Yahweh. Dewrell (2017) offers a book-length treatment of child sacrifice in ancient Israel and the Molech texts. This may also account for God's provision of a ram in place of Isaac, in contrast with Abraham's readiness to carry out human sacrifice (Gen. 22). Isaac was Abraham's legitimate son and the heir of the promise. The episode was a test of faith in which God (Heb. 'elohim) wanted to establish the degree of Abraham's obedience to him, and Abraham was prepared to sacrifice Isaac as a mark of respect and absolute obedience. Danam (2018) reads the near-sacrifice of Isaac as a polemic against child sacrifice. It is a clear indication that God does not rejoice in the suffering or death of children.

The same practice was also present in traditional Igbo society, where people abandoned children in obedience to certain customs and traditions. Those who were born as twins, or with some other natural disorder, were thrown into the evil forest. In most cases such children died without recovery, while a few were fortunate enough to be rescued by good citizens. In those days, for instance, a pregnant woman would pray secretly, hoping not to give birth to twins. At birth, on realizing that a second child was on the way, some midwives would abandon their patients. In such cases, a man who cared to help would reluctantly engage a very old woman to finish the delivery, and some of these innocent, helpless women died as a result. The twins were abandoned in the forest, where they cried to death or were devoured by animals. Anizoba (2025), in a study of ethics and morality in Igbo society, includes twin killing and human sacrifice among the controversial customs that were ethically rationalized within the traditional system and later challenged and transformed through religious and cultural negotiation.

Children of un-identified parents were usually exposed to inhuman practices. They were mostly sent away as domestic slaves, and they were also used for rituals, child labour and trafficking. In most cases, abandonment was carried out to meet pressing financial problems or cultural demands. The parents of such children usually had no options, but were obliged to comply. This was one of the negative cultures practised by the Igbo before the advent of Christianity, a culture that tends to be oppressive, autocratic and destructive. Children who have no identifiable parents should not be allowed to perish in our contemporary society, and it is expedient for the churches to rise to the occasion and try to alleviate their suffering.

The Church Fathers laid down the duty of the rich towards the poor in clear terms. St Ambrose, for example, taught that in giving to the poor one is not making a gift of what is one's own, but giving back what already belongs to the poor person. Abandoned children are sometimes counted among the poor in contemporary society, and the church is meant to do everything within its reach to help them. This involves not only helping them in their suffering but also reducing the rate of child abandonment. The church cannot do this without proper moral teaching and a fight against any custom or tradition that promotes or supports child abandonment at any level. As the church does so, records of child abuse and neglect will fall considerably. Child abuse as a social problem gained recognition and attention from the Nigerian public only fairly recently. Faith-based organizations are widely seen as having a role in this field. Olayiwola and Okunoye (2025), writing on Matthew 25:31–46, argue that faith-based organizations play a crucial role in addressing poverty, marginalization and oppression in Nigeria. The plight of children of un-identified parents in Nigeria, especially in the South-East zone, will become a thing of the past if churches throw their weight behind the effort to address it.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

There is growing concern about the collapse of societal and moral values in our society, and the blame is usually placed on families for failing in their responsibilities to children. The family is the smallest unit of society and its bedrock, and it contributes a great deal to the well-being of society. The parents' task of raising children includes the responsibility of giving them thorough Christian instruction in the ways of the Lord (Gen. 18:19), and such instruction helps to shape a child to maintain good moral standards in society. Moral degradation is all over our society, especially among teenagers. There is concern that our society should not turn out to be as socially and morally depraved as some western societies are said to be. It has also been argued that the decay of moral values evident today arises from the over-secularization of institutions that are naturally sacred, which leads to negative values. Whether there is moral degradation is no longer debatable, and the issue is how to prevent it from becoming worse than in the western societies.

This situation has increased the number of abandoned children in our society. In most cases they are abandoned along the streets, thrown into toilet pits, dustbins and bushes, or deliberately left in hospitals after delivery. They are abandoned for reasons that are easy to see. They include avoiding the sin of murder or abortion, the inability of parents to care for their children because of poverty, and the attitude of the custom and tradition of the land towards pregnancy outside marriage. These children are also denied the duties that parents owe them, which include giving them names, caring for their physical needs, educating them, disciplining them and laying up an inheritance for them. Abandoned children are prone to many of the social vices found in the Old Testament and in contemporary society. They create many societal problems, ranging from stealing, armed robbery and immorality to becoming bandits, when they are not properly trained.

Our concern, however, is with the plight of children of un-identified parents who are kept by religious or charitable organizations. The study seeks to ascertain whether these bodies are really doing what they are supposed to do in rearing the children. The Psalmist says that children are a heritage from the Lord, and that the fruit of the womb is a reward (Ps. 127:3). Every child is therefore from God and should be well cared for by all, irrespective of social status. It is also said, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it" (Prov. 22:6). Every child has a role to play in society and should therefore receive good care. This study will help to examine the present moral decadence in Igbo traditional society and to propose solutions. Abandoned children should be viewed with a full sense of responsibility in our society. It is hoped that, at the conclusion of this study, the problem of child abandonment will be reduced considerably and parents will be encouraged not to abandon their children, which will restore hope to these children. The study intends to examine closely the Old Testament Israelite and Igbo family institutions with respect to child abandonment.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to:

i. Examine the plight of abandoned children in our society;

ii. Establish the status of abandoned children in the Old Testament and in Igbo societies;

iii. Discover, and put in proper perspective, the need to fight all forms of child abandonment;

iv. Examine cultural and religious practices that promote the abandonment of children and suggest ways in which they could be amended; and

v. Determine how best to improve the economy of our country for better living.

1.4 Significance of the Study

Children are abandoned in our society almost every day. The abandonment involves both infants and teenagers, and it is done shamelessly and with little resistance, so that it is almost becoming an acceptable practice. People often say that it is better to abandon babies than to kill them. On this basis one may ask the following questions. Is there any relationship between the Israelites of the Old Testament and traditional Igbo society in the matter of child abandonment? How did each handle abandoned children in its own time? What are the ways in which the church can be of use in addressing child abandonment? These questions, and similar ones, show the significance of this study.

A close look at the purpose of the study makes it evident that it will be significant in many respects. The research was conducted to create awareness among Judaeo-Christians and to alert society to the implications of abandoning children. It will also educate Judaeo-Christians and other members of society on those implications. Its significance cannot be overemphasized, especially in enhancing good moral standards among the people.

The research will also remind us of the ugly situation of children of unidentified parents in the places where they are cared for, and it will help in understanding possible ways of reducing child abandonment. It is also vital for research fellows in institutions of higher learning who may wish to undertake studies on child abandonment. It is likewise a reminder of the need to see children as a heritage from God. These children should not be maltreated in any way by sex-hawkers, unconcerned parents or managers of orphanages and motherless babies' homes. The study also draws the attention of all Christian denominations in Nigeria, especially in Igbo society, to the need to come together under one umbrella to challenge and denounce every structure that encourages child abandonment, and to see why the number of such children should not be allowed to grow in the present and the future. The problem has always created difficulties everywhere. In no small measure, therefore, this research will assist religious, governmental and non-governmental organizations to improve the welfare of these children.

1.5 Scope of the Study

This study focused on children of un-identified parents, or abandoned children, in the Old Testament and in our contemporary society, especially in present-day Igbo society. It took note of the fact that children are also abandoned in other parts of the world. The researcher examined the role played by the church, in conjunction with governmental and non-governmental organizations, in alleviating the plight of abandoned children in Igbo society at any time.

1.6 Limitations of the Study

The researcher intended to carry out the study in more than twenty-two (22) motherless babies' homes and orphanages in the South-East geo-political zone of Nigeria, namely Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States, but sixty (60) respondents were sampled and used. The respondents also tended to shy away from giving information to the researcher, even after assurances that their responses would be confidential, so the researcher had to make appeals in order to collect enough data. Other problems included the distance between the researcher and the respondents, bad roads and the season of the year.

1.7 Methodology

The researcher used two basic sources of data, primary and secondary. The primary source was oral interviews, while the secondary sources were textbooks, questionnaires, magazines, newspapers and the internet, among others. The information collected was carefully sifted, organized, analyzed and systematically written up for easy comprehension. A framework was employed that uses critical and analytical approaches to reflect on the abandonment of children in contemporary society.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Eight terms or phrases need to be defined in this study, namely plight, children, abandoned, un-identified parents, Old Testament, contemporary, society and perspectives.

Plight: The word "plight" is used as a noun or a verb. As a noun it means a difficult and sad situation (Hornby, 2000). As a verb it can mean to make a formal pledge, especially a promise to marry, which is close in sense to making a vow. In this study, plight is taken to mean a difficult situation.

Children: The word "children" (Heb. banim*) has attracted many definitions from scholars and theologians, and attempts have been made to limit or expand its meaning. It is the plural of "child". According to Hornby (2000), a child is, first, a young human being who is not yet an adult, secondly, a son or daughter of any age, thirdly, a person who is strongly influenced by the ideas and attitudes of a particular time or person, and fourthly, in a disapproving sense, an adult who behaves in an immature and irresponsible way. Another school of thought defines a child as someone under a legally specified age who is not considered legally responsible for his or her actions. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) provides in section 29(4)(b) that "full age" means the age of eighteen years and above. By implication, a child in Nigeria is anyone under 18 who is not married. Since this research was done in Nigeria, it is appropriate to accept the constitutional definition. The term "children" therefore refers to human beings below the age of 18, who are generally not considered mature enough to take on responsibilities and so may not vote or be voted for in elections. In this study, children are human beings who are not adults and have not reached the age of independence, which covers the period from birth to the age of 17 years in Nigeria.

Abandoned: The word "abandoned" is the adjectival form of the past tense of the verb "abandon" (Heb. 'azab*), and it can function as a noun or a verb. Hornby (2000) gives five senses of "abandon". The first is to leave somebody for whom one is responsible, with no intention of returning. The second is to leave a thing or place, especially because it is impossible or dangerous to stay. The third is to stop supporting or helping somebody, or to stop believing in something. The fourth is to stop doing something before it is finished. The fifth is to feel an emotion so strongly that one can feel nothing else. The Encarta Dictionary (2009) also gives the sense of leaving somebody or something behind for others to look after, especially somebody or something that is one's personal responsibility. It follows that the term refers to the total forsaking of something or someone belonging to you for another person to take care of.

Un-identified parents: The phrase is made up of the words "unidentified" and "parents". The prefix "un" puts "identified" into a negative form. According to Hornby (2000), "identified" is the past tense of "identify", which means to recognize somebody or something and to be able to say who or what they are. Unidentified therefore means not recognized, or unknown to anybody. The Encarta Dictionary (2009) defines parents as the mother and father or legal guardian, and in the singular a person's father, mother or guardian. The phrase "unidentified parents" therefore means "not known parents". It is always difficult to trace the parents of abandoned children, and the phrase refers to parents who abandon their biological children and can hardly be traced when the need arises.

Old Testament: The Old Testament is the collection of scriptures that Christianity includes in its Bible from another religion, Judaism. The term came to be applied to these scriptures on the basis of the writings of Paul and other early Christians, who distinguished between the Old Covenant that God made with Israel and the New Covenant established through Jesus Christ. Because the early church believed in the continuity of history and of divine activity, it included in the Christian Bible the written records of both covenants. The Old Testament therefore means the Old Covenant. It consists of thirty-nine books in three sections, the Law (Heb. torah), the Prophets (Heb. nebi'im) and the Writings (Heb. ketubim*). Historically it is divided into the patriarchal, judges, monarchical, exilic and post-exilic periods.

Contemporary: The word has four senses (Encarta Dictionary, 2009): existing or occurring at the same period as something or somebody else, existing now, modern in style, and of the same or approximately the same age as somebody else. In this work it refers to something that exists now, that is, a present occurrence.

Society: The term society has several senses (Encarta Dictionary, 2009). They include the sum of social relationships among groups of humans or animals, a structured community of people bound together by similar traditions, institutions or nationality, the customs of a community and the way it is organized, a particular section of a community distinguished by particular qualities, prominent or fashionable people in a community, companionship, and an organized group of people who share an interest, aim or profession. Generally, society means a group of people who share common interests in a given environment.

Perspectives: The word perspective has four senses (Encarta Dictionary, 2009). It may mean a particular evaluation of a situation or of facts, especially from one person's point of view, a measured or objective assessment of a situation that gives all aspects their comparative importance, the appearance of objects to an observer, allowing for the effect of distance, or allowance for artistic perspective in drawing. For the purpose of this work, "perspectives" refers to a particular evaluation of a situation or facts.

References

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Danam, G. (2018). The sacrifice of the firstborn in Hebrew scriptures [Doctoral thesis, University of Sheffield]. White Rose eTheses Online. https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/21729

Dewrell, H. D. (2017). Child sacrifice in ancient Israel (Explorations in Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations 5). Eisenbrauns.

Okonkwo, U. U., & Obi-Ani, N. A. (2020). Women and the upsurge of "baby factories" in southeastern Nigeria: Erosion of cultural values or capitalism? Journal of International Women's Studies, 21(6), 405–415. https://vc.bridgew.edu/jiws/vol21/iss6/26

Olayiwola, M. T., & Okunoye, J. O. (2025). Caring for the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed (Matthew 25:31–46): A case study of Oke-Ogun Baptist Conference, Oyo State, Nigeria. Benin Journal of Religions and Society, 7(2). https://repository.acu.edu.ng/handle/123456789/1854