Join hands to stop female genital mutilation, Oyo first lady urges stakeholders

Segun Showunmi in Ibadan

The Wife of the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Mrs Tanmunominini Makinde, has called on relevant stakeholders to join hands with the government to put stop to female genital mutilation, adding that its disadvantages in the society cannot be overemphasized; hence there is a needs to eradicate it totally.

Penpushing reports that Mrs Makinde while speaking during a program held at the Presidential Lodge, Government House, Agodi Ibadan, organized to commemorate this year International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Mutilation described the act as barbaric, saying that it is high time for it to be abolished.

The Governor’s wife maintained that psychological, traumatic effect of a small girl that a sharp objects like razor blade or other means was used to cut out some layers of her genital cannot be explained.

“I first had the experience when I was in junior school, when a classmate of mine that was twelve years old, secretly told me in a sad and sober mood that she will be circumcised when she gets home, she was even in pains and fear before she was circumcised, I can read it on her face then, and really felt for her.”

“Female genital mutilation has great implications and portends great danger at childbirth, it is painful, it is dangerous, it causes a lot of death during childbirth, and as well increases the labour of women during the childbirth’.

“Female Genital mutilation violates girl child right, and increases low self esteem of girl child, it is neediness to allow our girl child to this painful and urgly trend, so I wish you all to join hand towards putting an end to this deadly act.

“We should all continue to work with our women, the State Government and all the stakeholders to ensure we have zero tolerance of FGM in Oyo State before year 2030, so we are here today to sensitize ourselves on the need to put an end to female genital mutilation, I want all of us present here to take home the message, and share it along with our people. Makinde stressed.

Penpushing further reports that speaking with journalists shortly after the event; the State coordinator for Female Genital Mutilation, Mrs. Balikis Olawoyin said that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the female genital mutilation practice become thing of the past just like the killing of the twin children in the past has become a history today.

The  event was well attended by some top government officials as well as some stakeholders in the State, such as wife of the Deputy Governor, Prof. Mrs. Amdalat Olaniyan, Secretary to the State government, Mrs. Olubanwo Adeosun, the Head of Service, Mrs. Ololade Agboola, Commissioner for Woman and Social Inclusion, Alhaja Faosat Saani, Commissioner for Special Duty Mrs. Olufunmilayo Orisadeyi, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bashir Bello, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Makinde on Diaspora Matter, Mrs. Bolanle Sarunmi, and the Director for Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Olatunji among others.

Penpushing also reports that stakeholders at the event include, the Nigerian Association of Nurses Midwifery Oyo State Chapter, members of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Oyo State Chapter, the market women led by their Iyalojas, the representative of all the traditional rulers in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party Local Government Chairpersons, Wives of the Local Government and Local Council Development Authority*LCDA) LCDA Caretaker Chairmen, and many others

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