Activist Adetoun apologizes to lady she disgraced for bringing her daughter to her sweeping job at 4am

Activist Just Adetoun has apologised and extended financial support to a struggling mother after facing backlash for publicly criticizing her.

The woman, who works as a street sweeper, had taken her 11-year-old daughter to assist her at 4 a.m., a situation Adetoun filmed and condemned as child labour.

In a widely shared video, Adetoun ordered the girl to sit down and watch her mother work, saying that it was improper for the mother to put the young girl in such a job at her tender age.

She threatened that if she saw the girl working again, she would take her away from the mother, who meekly promised she would not do it again.

However, when Adetoun posted the video on her handles, she got far less commendations than condemnations.

Many criticised her approach and reminded her that the woman was obviously in need of assistance to be leaving her home so early in the morning to sweep the road.

They argued that if she could not offer her assistance she should not have added to her suffering with her unwarranted action.

The activist has now sought out the woman to formally apologise to her.

She clarified that her intent was to advocate for the child’s well-being, not to shame the family.

Moved by the woman’s struggles, Adetoun offered to supplement her ₦19,500 monthly earnings with additional financial assistance. A video of the visit captured an emotional exchange between Adetoun, the woman, and her child.

Sharing the update on Instagram, Adetoun wrote:

“Apologies for how the video came across. I knew something was wrong, but the child’s rights were my priority. She travels all the way from Oworo to Ikoyi for just ₦19,500 a month. My intentions were clear from the start.”

Her actions have sparked fresh debate online. While some commended her for taking responsibility and offering help, others criticized the move as mere damage control.

A social media user, @PidginGuyHQ, commented: “She expected support for her actions, but she could have addressed the issue privately instead of recording and shaming the mother.”

Another user, @JustSeyi, remarked: “The original video wasn’t needed, and the tears now feel performative.”

See the video of the activist chastising the struggling woman and another one where she knelt to apologise to her here.