By Gbenga Olarinoye

Osogbo – Moves to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation, FGM, in Osun State received a boost during the week as 16 communities across four Local Government Areas in the state declared their intentions to end the practice altogether in their domains.

This was as the Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, disclosed that the state must do everything possible to come out of its unfavourable highest ranking on the ladder of FGM in Nigeria.

GOV. RAUF AREGBESOLA

Aregbesola revealed this at the Female Genital Mutilation Abandonment Declaration Ceremony organised by the Shericare Foundation, SCARF, an initiative of the wife of the governor, Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola.

The communities that declared war against FMG include Eko Ende, Eko Ajala, Iba, Asa, Iwo Oke, Ajagunlase, Alapata, Owode, Araromi in Ifelodun, Olaoluwa, Ede North and Orolu Logal Government Areas of the state. The governor described FGM as a cultural practice of removing part of the female genitals either as a customary rite of initiation into womanhood or as a check against promiscuity as harmful.

He stated that the harmful practice according to UNICEF is prevalent in developing countries, especially in Africa and Asia.

He said; “According to a February 2016 report by United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), there are records for 27 countries in Africa, including Somalia (96 per cent), Guinea (97 per cent), Djibouti (93 per cent), Egypt (91 per cent) and Sierra Leone (90 per cent) still practising FGM.

‘’From this same report, we learnt that as of 2013, 27.2 million women had undergone FGM in Egypt, 23.8 million in Ethiopia, and 20 million in Nigeria. In Indonesia, the prevalence rate for children under 11 years is 49 per cent, translating to 13.4 million.

“In Nigeria, six states top the list of places where the practice is prevalent. These are Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, Ebonyi, Imo and Lagos. FGM is deeply rooted in culture but flies in the face of common sense, decency, basic health and human rights.

“The crux of this advocacy is to expunge it from our belief system. I am glad that we have the cooperation of our traditional rulers, religious leaders, community leaders and aficionados of arts and culture.

“The core changes must include that: one, it is no longer necessary as a cultural requirement, two, that it is indeed harmful and cruel physically and psychologically. The victims, we must note, are our daughters, sisters, aunties, cousins, nieces, wives and mothers.

“I do not see any other category closer and dearer to us than these and therefore do not deserve to be subjected to this hurtful practice any longer.”

In her welcome address, the wife of Osun Governor and President Sheri Care Foundation, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola, reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to achieving zero tolerance on Female Genital Mutilation/Circumcision in the state.

She said the Foundation has engaged in many activities aimed at boosting the awareness campaigns to end the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation and Circumcision in every nook and cranny of the state.

Alhaja Aregbesola disclosed that the Foundation has also committed itself to intensive advocacy to eradicate the traditional practice of FGM in the state through regular interface with a number of communities, public sensitisation, jingles sponsorship on radio, television stations as well as printing and circulation of the state law which makes it illegal for anyone to circumcise any female child or any woman in the state.

According to her, “The journey to today’s event started early 2015 when a team of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) officials visited our state as the meeting afforded us the opportunity to appreciate the necessity of collective efforts to wage an intensive and comprehensive awareness campaign on the dangers that continued practice of female circumcision bear for our female children, our women and our people in general.