The Center for Responsibility and Public Participation has denounced the objectification of women and the sexualization of children in skits as a worrying trend.
The Civil Society Organization noted that schemes with such harmful and disruptive stories perpetuate dangerous stereotypes that validate the exploitation of vulnerable individuals. It also promotes misogyny, sexism and a culture of violence in the country.
In a statement signed by CAPPA’s Policy and Research Officer Zikora Ibeh, the CSO warned with grave concern of the numerous cases where these comic videos exploit the innocence of children for entertainment.
It was referring to an April 9 incident in which two Instagram comedians posted a now-deleted plea featuring a two-year-old girl who was the subject of an inappropriate sexual scene and was abused by an adult man, who appears in the video as the landlord.
Also on April 4, another popular Facebook page shared a video of a distraught and naked hotel clerk pleading with a man filming her to stop. It was learned that the individual had initially put the woman in a consensual arrangement, but as soon as he undressed while in a room with her, he revealed that the whole situation was a prank, and that a third party was recording him. She then shared the footage, pontificating on her morals and that of Nigerian women more broadly. These are just a few of the similar videos that are uploaded online every day in Nigeria, they said.
To this end, CAPPA stressed that “these comedy skits have crossed the line of human dignity and morality, and Nigerians must urgently address the glaring issues they promote”.
Furthermore, the sexualization of minors and the dehumanization of young women in the videos are of particular concern, with inappropriate and offensive jokes being made about their bodies, clothing and behavior. This model has the potential to ultimately normalize the problem of child exploitation and the violation of people’s right to dignity, CAPPA said.
The organization also found that such schemes often dehumanize and stigmatize sex workers, perpetuating the harmful idea that they do not deserve respect or basic human rights.
Therefore, “by portraying them as valid targets of ridicule and abuse, the entertainment industry contributes to their vulnerability and exploitation. In addition to these issues, the use of derogatory language and crude humor in these schemes demeans women and reinforces toxic masculinity, ultimately contributing to a culture of violence and sexual harassment of women and girls.
They called on petitioners to revise their stories, “by stopping the production and distribution of content that objectifies, dehumanises or sexualises women and children, and by opting for non-discriminatory and exploitative comedy, we can create positive change.
Furthermore, continuous dialogue and collaboration with women, children, gender rights defenders and other stakeholders are essential to truly consider and integrate their perspectives and experiences into the creative process,” they suggested.
He urged the Nigerian comedy industry to strive to develop educational initiatives that raise awareness of the negative impact of harmful comedy content and actively promote mutual respect, empathy and equity within and outside the industry.
