By Esther Onyegbula
Lawyers, rights advocates and civil society groups have staged a procession in Lagos to demand justice for the late Mr. Temitope Odu, a lawyer, 56-year-old wife and mother, who was allegedly killed in a case of domestic violence.
The memorial walk, convened by the Gnosis Help Initiative in collaboration with several human rights organisations, took place along Sabo Road, Yaba, drawing a large gathering of legal practitioners, women’s rights defenders, and concerned citizens.
Described as a “transitional walk,” the procession symbolised both grief and defiance, an expression of collective resolve to confront the persistent scourge of domestic violence that continues to claim lives across the country.
Leading the walk, Convener of Gnosis Help Initiative, Olumide Omosebi, decried the weak institutional response to domestic abuse cases in Nigeria.
He called for stronger government’s action to establish sustainable support systems and continuous sensitisation campaigns, emphasising that victims should never be shamed for leaving abusive unions.
According to him, “No religion should ever be used as justification for violence. No one should be deceived into staying in a dangerous marriage under the guise of divine disapproval of divorce.”
Describing Odu’s death, who was recently called to Bar, as a wake-up call, he stressed the need for continuous public enlightenment.
on domestic violence.
Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, Ikorodu Branch, Maureen Bolowotan, during the walk, said: “FIDA remains committed to promoting self-worth and self-preservation among women, no marriage is worth a woman’s life.”
Coordinator of the Femicide Observatory Programme under the DOHS Cares Foundation, Ololade Ajayi, disclosed that a woman or girl is killed by an intimate partner every 49 hours in Nigeria, adding that Odu was the 162nd documented victim of femicide in 2025 according to their data.
Ajayi urged families and communities to remain vigilant, noting that early intervention can prevent abuse from escalating into tragedy.
Domestic violence advocate, Anthonia Ojenagbon, recounted that the late Odu had endured more than two decades of physical and emotional abuse before her death, allegedly at the hands of her husband.
“No relationship is worth your life. The death of Odu should awaken the conscience of our nation.”
Another participant, women’s rights campaigner, Shola Fatoye, said: “For too long, victims’ stories have been buried under cultural expectations. It’s time we listened, respected, and acted.”
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