By Tunji Oyeleye
Law enforcement agencies involved in the agreement Oyo state govt criminalizes female genital cutting Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female circumcision has been identified to be a gateway to numerous health challenges being faced by a lot women in Africa, Nigeria in particular.
This were the assertions of Mrs Bilikisu Olawoyin, the Sexual and Reproductive Health Officer/FGM Coordinator, Oyo state Primary Health Care Board on Thursday, November 28, 2024 at Jobele Secretariat, at an event of consensus building with community leaders and law enforcement agencies in Afijio Local Government as regards war against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)Speaking about the dangers of FGM, Mrs Olawoyin said female circumcision, being an African practice, is common in Yoruba land, Southwest Nigeria and that is why the Oyo state government as taken it as a matter of priority to bring an end to the evil practice.
According to her, both the World Health Organization, WHO and United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF have condemned the act of circumcising a girl child.
She noted that WHO and UNICEF have carried out several investigations and conclusions of their reports have revealed that the vaginal of a girl child is divided into four parts and none among the parts should be tampered as each of them have different roles they are playing.
The Oyo State Sexual and Reproductive Health Officer/FGM Coordinator, noted that Female Genital Mutilation is a problem planted into the live of a girl child from tender age, noted that it has resulted into death later in life for a lot of women.Mrs Olawoyin listed severe pains during childbirth, agonizing experience during sexual encounter, barrenness, failed marriage, mental disorder and life-threatening health challenges as part of the fate of women whose genitals have been mutilated. She also cautioned women from piercing their genitals all in the name of fashion, saying doing this could expose them to infections.
According to her, having highlighted the dangers of Female Genital Mutilation, there is a need for all and sundry to wage a massive war against the barbaric act, saying that was why the stakeholders in Afijio Local Government of Oyo state as well as law enforcement agencies were called to a discussion to reach a consensus on the eradication of FGM. She noted that with the consensus reached, it is now a crime for anyone to circumcise a girl child, saying anyone found culpable would face the full wrath of law.
officers in action
While speaking about the reason for the event, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Center for Comprehensive promotion of Reproductive Health, Mr Oluwole Emmanuel Yelotan, said the programme which has begun since few months ago was set up to ensure that the practice of female genital cutting is gotten rid of in the society.Mr Yelotan also lauded the Peace Wonderful Women of Impact International in Collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Oyo State Government and Center for Comprehensive Promotion of Reproductive Health, for making the programme a reality.
Similarly, one the facilitators of the programme and a member of Peace Wonderful Women of Impact International, Pastor Christianah Omonike Aderibigbe, thanked the stakeholders in communities in Afijio Local Government as well as the security agents for being available for the consensus building programme.
She urged them to go back to their communities and continue to enlighten the people there about the dangers of Female genital cutting.Among the communities in Afijio Local Government, whose representatives were at the consensus building programme are; Babaode, Akinmorin, Okediji, Fiditi, Jobele, Isale-Osun and Oja Agbe.
