…Decorated Zero FGM Ambassador
By Patrick Ochei
The Omu Anioma and advocate of proper womanhood cum value oriented child upbringing, HRM Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu has said that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as Female Genital Cutting is not only inhuman to the girl child but ungodly.
She made this assertion on Tuesday 6th February, 2018, while being decorated as the Zero FGM Ambassador of the year by the International Centre for Women Empowerment and Child Development, in their campaign for Zero FGM to mark the 10th anniversary of the Centre.
The Omu who declared her total support to the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation, said she would do everything possible to see to its barest reduction if not erased totally.
“Female Genital Mutilation is not only inhuman, it is ungodly. You have my support on this fight. I commend your effort. We must treat women with love and care. Our community leaders and men of all cadres must show responsibility towards eradicating this inhuman cultural practice”, she affirmed.
Speaking further, she maintained that man was not enough on his own and God had to create woman as a help mate to him. “For this reason, man must avoid anything that would inflict an everlasting pain on the woman. FGM brings untold pains, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Women must also help themselves in this regard and don’t dwell on sustaining a cultural practice that disfigures and destroys them. The era of women oppressing women must stop. I am here to advocate for the advancement of humanity; and together we must advocate for the reduction of FGM to the barest minimum, if not totally eradicated”, Omu expressed.
Earlier, the Director of Programme, International Centre for Women Empowerment and Child Development and leader of the delegation, Barr. Rachael Obodo-Obunseh had commended the Omu on the advocacy role she has been playing on issues of women, humanity and culture. She hinted the Omu on their purpose for coming, which included the marking of the 2018 Female Genital Mutilation that coincided with the Centre’s 10th Anniversary Celebration.
Obunseh stated that their 2018 theme is “Zero Tolerance to FGM”, which was why the organization decided to honour the Omu Anioma with the Zero FGM Ambassador for her advocacy role on Modern Cultural Practices, Girl Child Education, Value Orientation, Decent Human Life and Community Growth and Development.
However, the Medical Doctor in the delegation and past President of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Delta State Chapter, Dr. Bobola Agbonle took time to lecture on Female Genital Mutilation, its short and long term implications.
She posited that there are no health benefits to FGM, adding that those beliefs held by our forebears that the mutilations keep women constantly clean, produce matrimonial opportunities, increase fertility and avert still birth are all lies.
Agbonle further maintained that instead, the mutilations would cause excessive bleeding, infection, stayed urine in the short term; and in the long term, stitcher pains, HIV/AIDS infection, psychological effect, post-traumatic health disorder, tightening of vagina during sex and child birth, irredeemable loss of sexual appetite and others would occur.
Dr. Agbonle called on Traditional Rulers, lawmakers, press, NGOs and well meaning Nigerians to join hands in eliminating FGM from being practiced in our communities.
Other experts in the delegation were Mr. Norbert Chimah, Mr. Emma Ogbolu, Mr. Ernest Enuneku and Mr. Ifeanyi Anyafulu who is the HOD Skills Acquisition of the International Centre for Women Empowerment and Child Development.
