Just Adetoun Apologizes And Offers Financial Support To Struggling Mother After Public Criticism

After receiving widespread criticism for publicly calling out a struggling mother who took her 11-year-old daughter to her street-sweeping job, activist Just Adetoun has taken steps to make amends.

Previously, Adetoun had shared a video of the woman and her daughter working as early as 4 a.m., condemning the situation as inappropriate and labeling it as child labor. However, her approach sparked backlash, with many arguing that she had shamed the mother instead of offering support.

In a recent development, Adetoun visited the woman’s home to express her apologies, acknowledging that her method of addressing the issue may have seemed insensitive. She clarified that her primary intention was to advocate for the child’s well-being, not to criticize the family.

Deeply moved by the mother’s challenges, Adetoun extended a helping hand by offering to provide her with a monthly stipend in addition to the N19,500 she earns from her sweeping job. A video capturing the visit showed an emotional exchange between Adetoun, the woman, and her daughter, marking a significant turn in the situation.

Sharing the update on Instagram, she wrote:

“APOLOGIES ON HOW YOU ALL SAW THE VIDEO. I knew something was wrong, but the right of the child was most important. She comes all the way from inside Oworo to Ikoyi just for 19,500 monthly 😢😢😢😢😢. MY INTENTION WAS CLEAR IN MY CAPTION.”

Her action has ignited new discussions online, with some praising her for accepting responsibility and providing assistance, while others criticized her for trying to manage the situation and showing false emotions.

See some reactions below:

@PidginGuyHQ, “She was expecting people to support her dirty behavior. You don’t just see someone sweeping and start shouting at the mother for no reason. She could have corrected her without a camera and without shouting.”

@JustSeyi, “Zero need for the original video; the fake tears are even worse.”

Watch the video below: