Dayo Johnson, Chioma Obinna & Rotimi Ojomoyela
Survivors of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and former practitioners on Thursday condemned the harmful practice, debunking the myth that it prevents promiscuity and sexual immorality.
Instead, they emphasised the severe physical and emotional trauma it inflicts on women and girls.
The survivors and ex-practitioner are now advocating for an end to FGM, highlighting the urgent need for collective action to protect the rights and well-being of girls and women
Speaking at the two-day media dialogue organised by the Oyo State Ministry of Information and Orientation in collaboration with UNICEF held in Benin, Edo State, a Survivor, Blessing Ogo said the painful experience has left her struggling to enjoy sexual intimacy with her partner.
Ogo described FGM as barbaric and unnecessary, urging those involved in the practice to stop, saying the trauma still lingers, making her feel less feminine.
She noted that the cutting comes with physical complications, severe pain, excessive bleeding, infections, urinary issues, menstrual problems, emotional trauma, psychological effects, including anxiety, depression, Sexual Health Issues, sexual dysfunction
The survivors l, appealed to the government and stakeholders to collaborate with UNICEF as well as other organisations to eradicate FGM.
They called for stringent penalties for those involve in the practice.
Also speaking, a former practitioner of FGM, Bridget Omobude said the practice was passed down to her by her great grandmother but stopped after many years that she was enlightened on the harmful adventure by her own daughter.
Omobude said, “When I joined this programme I was happy to be with the children. My family has always cared for children, it’s a tradition passed down from my great-grandmother to my mother and now to us. When they brought the children for the service, we held them so we could learn how to care for them properly.
“There have been difficult moments. At one point the government intervened and I told my daughter she should not call me again.
” I remember being confused and asking where she had gone and why she would block me. Then the police came and told us to stop cutting.
“But when this programme was brought to us, it made me happy again I felt joy in taking part and going to school”.
A Cleric, Pastor Ken Izah said the fastest way to eradicate the harmful practice in the country is to take collective responsibility, stressing that FGM was no where approved and accepted by God in the Bible.
Izah assured UNICEF that the religious institution will continue to support the organisation and other groups advocating for the eradication of FGM, noting that no women deserve to live an unfulfilled life.
“The feeling I have is something deep. By the grace of God, I am your father in faith. When we talk about circumcision, I believe we must take responsibility to say no to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). It has to stop.
“From the Bible’s standpoint, God does not support it. In Genesis 17 verse 10, God told Abraham that circumcision was to be a sign of the covenant — for Ishmael and for every male child.
“But Sarah was not circumcised. That alone makes it clear: female genital mutilation has no place in the Bible, no place in God’s plan, and therefore no place in our community”.
Speaking, Denise Onoise, the Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF, Lagos Office, said that the testaments from the survivors and former practitioners are enough evidence that the FGM is not only harmful but dangerous to the lives and livelihoods of women and more awareness still need to be done to nip the dangerous practice in the bud.
Onoise said that “we need to further expand what we are doing for awareness reason, we need to reach out to community members, especially community leaders who are able to call community members together and say we want to abandon this practice, we can no longer continue with this practice, we are cutting our girls and from our learnings and recent studies we are not helping the persons we cut in terms of reproductive health
He added that “It doesn’t help the woman to enjoy her body and the practice, apart from inflicting pains on the girl-child doesn’t not curb promiscuity, so the purpose is defeated”.
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