Celebrities Join Forces In Lagos Against Human Trafficking

Lagos, the entertainment capital of Nigeria, will bubble on February 28, as top celebrities converge to play a novelty football match in support of the fight against human trafficking.

Billed to hold at the Campos Square Stadium, Lagos Island, movie star RMD will lead 11 other stars to square up against former Super Eagles players such as Kanu Nwankwo, Jay Jay Okocha, Samson Siasia, Peter Rufai and others for the game.

Former Super Eagles coaches, Shaibu Amodu and Christian Chukwu will coach Team Kanu Nwankwo and Team RMD respectively, while actresses Ireti Doyle and Apostle Eucharia Anunobi will each play five penalties to determine the winners at the end of the day. The initiative, a project of Next2None support group is tagged ‘Africa My Africa Walk Against Human.

According to the organisers, similar event will be staged in Owerri, the Imo State Capital, before the moving to Accra with notable African celebrities on the bill.

At the press held recently in Lagos to herald the event, Ernest Ojukwu, SAN who delivered the keynote address called on all to join hands in the fight against human trafficking even as he described the menace as “the biggest social menace in the world today. It is a global trade in human beings, whether for forced labour or sexual exploitation. It is estimated that between 12 million and 27 million people are enslaved around the world and the biggest chunk of this trade emanate from Africa, Nigeria strongly inclusive.

The reality is that the abolishment of slavery only abolished the process. There are more slaves today in the world than at any other point in human history. More processes for dealing in slavery have also emerged,” Ojukwu said.

According to Barrister Ndukwe Sam Obu, Founder/Chairman BoT of Next2None support initiative said, “I want to inform all that after the Lagos and Imo events, the capital city of Ghana, Accra is ready to play host to an array of African stars as they march in solidarity against the social menace of human trafficking. The African ambassadors will also play a charity football match at the Accra Stadium after the morning match.

As I speak, 100 African celebrities from the movies, sports, comedy, religion, music among others, have been contacted to be part of the project, “ he said.

He continued: “WE are glad to announce to you that the events in Lagos, Imo and Ghana are 90 per cent ready. 90 per cent ready means that the very difficult part of it is as good as accomplished. The most difficult part was to travel many African countries to get the endorsement of the various Ambassadors of those nations in the entertainment industry such as football, music, movie and comedy, literary works.

We have travelled in the last one year and six months; from Liberia to South Africa, Namibia, Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya, Cameroun to carry out a survey as to the present situation as it relates to human trafficking. We have the endorsements of reputable African stars, who are ready to partner with us on this cause. We intend to have for the very first time, a convergence of African celebrities in Accra, Ghana, to have a celebrity walk against human trafficking. Each celebrity will carry the flag of his country to showcase the solidarity of that nation against human trafficking,” he said.