Child Labour as a Reflection of Poverty: Study in Dutse Metropolis, Jigawastate, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examined the manifestation of povertythrough child labour in Dutse, Jigawa State.The population of the study was exclusively child labourers. Both primary and secondary data were collected.The secondary sources ofdata include text-books, journal articles, conference proceedings e.t.c., which have been utilised during conduct of the study. The sample size for the study wasforty-eight (48) child labourers. In generating the primary data, forty-eight (48) interview sessions were conducted to provide an insight into the factors (not only limited to poverty) that motivate child labour in the study area and beyond.The sampling procedure was purposive sampling, and the sample size was forty-eight (48) subjects. The research was mixed research because in-depth interview was initially adopted to collect primary data and then subsequently transformed to quantitative form during data analysis, with some qualitative responses been complemented. Primary and secondary data sources were used. The responses received from these subjects led to the conclusion that, poverty and traditional beliefs are the principal predisposing factors for child labour in developing countries, such as Nigeria. The paper suggests that, gradual phase out of the phenomenon and fighting poverty are the best and effective strategies for checking child labour in developing nations like Nigeria.