The celebrated crime journalist, Juliana Francis, is set to unveil her new book on child trafficking into sex slavery. The book, We Are Priceless, is aimed at checking children’s sex slavery, trafficking in general, child labour, child abuse, among other forms of crime against innocent children.
The We Are Priceless Book Launch Committee, in a statement, said it would be unveiled at 11:00 a.m. on August 31, 2023, at the POWA Hall, Oduduwa, off Sobo Arobiodu, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.
Dignitaries from all walks of life will headline the launch.
The Chairman of the event would be the former Inspector General of Police (IGP), now the Chair of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Dr. Solomon Arase, the speakers would be Olufunke Fayemi of the Report Women Network and Evelyn Usman, the Vice-President, Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN), while the Special Keynote Speaker is Dr. Godwin Morka, former Director, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
Others are the President of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPSS), Otunba Yomi Odubela, as the Guest Speaker, former presidential aide, Femi Adesina, as Special Guest/Book Reviewer, while the Special Guest of Honour would be Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Frank Mba.
Other guests are Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Raimi Salau Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Raimi Salau; Director General (DG), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi and the Chair/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
We Are Priceless centres on the escape of five courageous children from sex slavery. These children were deceived into the trade by people their parents and guardians trusted.
According to the author, the book reminds us of how vulnerable children continue to be sacrificed on the altar of unbridled wealth accumulation of adults who should protect them.
She said: “For too long, parents have been fooled into giving their children to human traffickers and merchants of child labour.
“In Nigeria, children, as young as eight, 10 and 13 years of age are trafficked into sex slavery, child labour and other crimes. Many end up being killed in the process.”
Francis disclosed that this menace could be fought by first catching the young ones, thereafter, educating them about the ill and ensuring they join in stopping it.
The author studied Literature-In-English at the University of Ilorin. She started her journalism career in 2002 with The Sun Newspaper. Francis was at different times the Crime Editor of the Nigerian Compass, the Newswatch newspaper and the New Telegraph.
The Guardian