OHANAEZE NDIGBO LAGOS WOMEN GOES TOUGH AGAINST RAPE
By Oki Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene(m); Women Leader, Mrs. Violet Uche Obiora (4th left); National Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide Women Wing, Lady Ada Ofoegbu JP (2nd left); Chief Security Officer to the President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos (2nd right) and Deputy Women Leader, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Barr. Nkechi Agubuzo during a Press Conference to mark the international Civility of the Girl Child day organised by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Women’s Wing in Lagos.
* Women Leader frowns at spate of gender-based violence
* Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene
berated Western Europe for making Africans see frolicking as a ‘kind of exposure’
Leading Igbo sociocultural organization in Lagos, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has boldly challenged the cases of gender-based violence that has become a recurring decimal in Nigeria’s recent history. This strong assertion was made by the women’s wing of the organization at the celebration of this year’s International Day of the Girl last week.
L-R: Treasurer, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos; Deputy Women Leader, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Barr. Nkechi Agubuzo; National Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide Women Wing, Lady Ada Ofoegbu JP; President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene; Women Leader, Mrs. Violet Uche Obiora; A Member, Mrs. Adadioranma Amaka Nwabunike and the Financial Secretary, Mrs. Ogele Ikebe
From Vera Uwaila Omozuwa to Barakat Bello to Grace Oshiagwu to Shomuyiwa Azeezat, then 17-year old Ekiti hawker to the victims of Kano serial rapist and the 717 cases recorded by Nigerian Police in the first 5 months of 2020, the rising cases of rape is a source of worry for Nigerian women, girls and the general public.
The women wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos is not taking the issue with kids glove. Speaking at the International Day event, the women leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos, Mrs. Violet Uche Obiora said ‘We decided to use this opportunity to frown against abuse and rape that is pervasive against the girl-child in our society. It is to say no to the societal ills, female harassment, abuse, rape and others.
Majority of these perpetrators are related to the family. Mothers should take time to create sex education to update their daughters. It is not actually about the way the girls are dressed but I think majority of them are under the influence of alcohol or strong drinks.’
‘We have come as mothers to frown against it. And we want to encourage Lagos State Government that the laws enacted should get adequate implementation so as to eradicate the ills.’
L-R: Deputy Women Leader, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Barr. Nkechi Agubuzo; Women Leader, Mrs. Violet Uche Obiora and National Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide Women Wing, Lady Ada Ofoegbu JP during the Press Briefing at the Union’s Secretariat in Surulere, Lagos.
On her part, the financial secretary of the women group, Mrs. Ogele Ikebe said that the Ndigbo women joined the United Nations to celebrate the International Day for the Girlchild for ‘we are kicking against sexual harassment, victimization, rape, gender inequality, among others.’
Recounting her personal experience with Oki Samson of Trek Africa Newspaper, Mrs. Ikebe added: ‘I was a victim of sexual violence at 12 while in my primary school by my father’s servant. It happened during one of my father’s traveling expedition. While sleeping, I noticed something was going on in my body. When I woke up, I found out it was true. I was afraid to tell my parents because he told me not to tell anyone or else I will stop being his friend. Even till date, I couldn’t tell my parent, which is why I am aggressive about females keeping quiet to such things. Assuming I did back then, my parents would have fought on my behalf and the stigma would have left me.’
‘My advice to the girl child is that she should report so as to bring such act to an end instead of keeping quiet like I did back then and it will help stop the negative effect the act comes with. They should not feel inferior hiding it to themselves. Now the Lagos State Government has enforced a punishment for such act, which is life imprisonment.’
Some of the pupils jolting down note from the Sensitization lecture on rape and domestic violence.
The national secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide women wing, Lady Ada Ofoegbu JP shared: ‘It is really painful for someone to be raped because not all perpetrators use their private part, some use their fingers, it is not acceptable. A lady’s dressing is not a yardstick for her to be raped.’
‘Any person that is a victim should talk to their parents, who will in turn inform those they can confide in like teachers or activists. To avoid denial, they should take the victim to the clinic for assessment and give them medical report to counter their claims. The doctors will access the necessary and capture the details of the victims.’
Mrs. Ofoegbu advised parents to be friendly with their children so they can ‘tell you their secrets and confide in you over anything.’
cross section of the participants at the Press Briefing/Public Lecture on Sensitization against Rape.
Speaking on the initiative of the women’s wing, the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene noted that it is to create pressure on those handling rape like police and the courts so that the cases will reduce. ‘It is already on the world’s platform that the punishment is not something you can compromise. In western Europe, once it is confirmed that you are a rapist, the penalty is nothing less than five years and you will be denied a lot of things just like the way it was be for in Africa before the advent of white men.’
The culture ambassador added: ‘I can’t apportion blame of rape on parents because no parent will train his/her child on that aspect. It is likened to one being robbed. You can’t blame the one that was robbed. It was Western Europe that opened our eyes to frolicking with other people’s wives. It is part of the instrument of whites to destroy Africa, they made us feel it is a kind of exposure. Government should put more pressure on those that are concerned with the discipline. With a minimum of five years imprisonment, I feel when you stay in a place for five years you will be comported not to misbehave.’
On pedophiles, Chief Solomon Aguene remarked: ‘I don’t think it is diabolical because I witnessed a similar situation outside the country. When I confronted the man, he said he wanted to know how loud the baby can scream. He happened to be a family friend to the baby’s parent. It is the devil that controls human beings to do some certain thing.’
The Women during a Road Walk to Sensitize the Public against Rape and Domestic Violence in Lagos.
