Nigerian anti-human trafficking activist, Joy Agbeyegbe delivers lecture at an International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference in US

Former Girne American University student, Ochuko Joy Agbeyegbe who rose from nowhere to become a anti-human trafficking activist while in Cyprus, earning herself the reputation because of her activities and effort to assist girls that were illegally smuggled to Cyprus to be exploited as sex slaves has delivered a lecture at an International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference in the US.

The purpose of the Conference held on September, 2018 in Toledo, Ohio is to bring together researchers and practitioners in an effort to lay the groundwork for future collaborative research, advocacy and program development.

The conference aims to further educate social service and health care providers and criminal justice professionals on human trafficking and the needs and risks of those victimized by the commercial sex industry.

This year, the conference welcomed presenters and attendees from 34 states within the US and 25 countries around the world.

There were 3 speakers from Nigeria (Ochuko Joy Agbeyegbe, Joseph Osuigwe and Maureen Eke a Nigerian professor at University of Michigan. Other speakers are social workers, legal practitioners and survivors.

Joy happen to be the youngest speaker to present at the conference.

The conference was opened by a statement by Dr. Celia Williamson a professor at the university and the founder of the conference.

She thanked everyone for being a part of the global fight against modern day slavery.

Joy spoke on the topic; ‘Finding a voice, from Africa to Europe, the effect of voodoo secrecy oath sworn by victims of sex trafficking.’ 

She was selected due to her effort in assisting voodoo victims in Cyprus who were trafficked from Edo state for exploitation. The victims also had their hair and fingernails cut by the traffickers.

She chose this topic to enlighten anti human trafficking activists, law enforcements and service providers on the secrecy oath usually sworn to by victims before departure from Africa.

According to the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), 90% of Nigerian girls trafficked for sexual exploitation are first made to take secrecy oath. The secrecy oath forbids the victim from ever reporting her madam to the police and to complete repayment of her debt.

Attendees were very impressed and well informed.

During her presentation, she also commended the recent effort by the     Oba of Benin to combat human trafficking in Edo State, Nigeria.

She inform attendees of how the monarch invited all voodoo priests to his palace earlier this year and placed curse on traffickers.

Lastly, she made recommendations on the way forward for Africa.

This conference served as a means of networking and meeting other activists from different parts of the world.

She recently incorporated a non-profit organization (Joy Agbeyegbe Foundation) with the aim to combat human trafficking and also help survivors in Nigeria start small businesses.