After months of fruitless efforts to locate his family, a 9-year-old orphan, Divine Nwankwegu, is pleading with the Ebonyi State government and the public for assistance. Rescued from child labour, Divine now resides at the State Children’s Centre in Ugwuachara, Abakaliki, where he shared his story with Daily Sun.
Divine, originally from Nwofe Community in Izzi Local Government Area, recounted how he lost his parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. Sunday and Stella Nwankwegu. Following their deaths, he was placed in the custody of Sunday Paul and his family in Ndiegbe Sharon Junction, Izzi LGA, who are yet to be located.
According to Divine, he fled the household due to maltreatment, including food deprivation and being forced into farm labour to generate money. “My father was a carpenter and died after falling from a roof. My mother was killed in a hit-and-run accident. After their deaths, I was sent to live with Mr. Paul Sunday’s family, but I ran away because I was starved and forced to work on farms to contribute to meals,” he said.
Now under the care of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, efforts to trace Divine’s biological family have been unsuccessful. Onwe Chidiebere, the officer in charge of the Juvenile Remand Home, and Emmanuel Nkwuda, Head of the Department of Child Development, confirmed that the guardians denied any connection to Divine.
Nkwuda added, “Divine was found wandering at Nwofe Market in July 2024. Despite extensive investigations, his family remains untraceable. If all efforts fail, Section 4 of the Ebonyi State Child Rights Law will be implemented to provide him with a home and identity through adoption.”
He urged parents to only have children they can adequately care for, citing the economic challenges in the country.
The Ministry is appealing to the public for any information that could help reunite Divine with his family.
