By Tina Amanda
International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, Rivers State chapter, has called for the abolishment of Female Genital mutilation in some communities in the Abua/Odual local government area of the state, describing the practice as repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience.
FIDA made the call at the event, marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital mutilation campaign at Omokwa community in Abua/Odual LGA.
Speaking at the event, the Chairperson of the FIDA state chapter, Adata Bio-Briggs, said that female circumcision is against the law and born out of ignorance.
She explained that such traditional harmful practice in the Omokwa community done on pregnant women when they are about to deliver is barbaric and would have caused several maternal mortality in the area.
Bio-Briggs urged Chiefs and leaders of the communities in Abua/Odual to stop female genital mutilation, as anyone caught in the practice will be sentenced to four years imprisonment.
“We did not just come to Omokwa community to get them to end the practice, we came to let them know that female genital mutilation practice is illegal, there is a law that says you can not do such harmful practices anymore and there are penalties. Now that we have notified them of the law, the next person that does it will be made to face the law, actions must be taken.
“Already we have someone from the community who have lodged in a complaint; we will take up actions, we will go to court to interpret this law. We have realized it’s the women that do not have plans to end the mutilation of female genitals, the men have said they want it to end but the women are saying it’s their tradition.
“The practice has become business, where the women use it to oppress the men and extort from them, even go as far as denying the men paternity to their children should they refuse to pay the amount billed to them. They need to understand that those who started the practice did not know the law implications.
“Some time ago, FIDA Rivers saw to it that female circumcision practice ended in Egbelu community in Oyigbo local government area of the state, we are ready to replicate such in Abua/Odual communities.
“The practice of female genital mutilation must end it is repugnant to natural justice, it is not something that should be heard. There is a belief in this community that children born from a woman who is not circumcised will die, that is not true, the practice needs to stop, given the fact that circumcision is done when a woman is pregnant, that alone can lead to mortality.
“Also, the Omokwa Community Development Chairman John Isreal, who spoke on behalf of the Paramount Ruler, Chief Fubara Edum, assured FIDA that the community is ready to partner with the state government to abolish female genital mutilation practice and other harmful practices that are against the law.
He affirmed that Omokwa community will henceforth shun harmful traditional practices against the law, and also indulge in things that will bring development and growth to people of the community.
On their part, Some Omokwa community people in an interview narrated that pregnant women in the community have been subjected to go through severe pains in the name of tradition, with the belief that any woman who refuses circumcision will be promiscuous in nature or die during child delivery.
They explained that it is a tradition they grew up to know which has long been in existence and have put so much fear in women, who believe their children would die mysteriously should they refuse circumcision.
Some men of the community also lamented that circumcision has made some of their wives not to have sexual urges, causing them to be promiscuous in the name of seeking sexual satisfaction.
They expressed happiness on the practice coming to an end while appealing to the community chiefs to make a proclamation, stopping female genital mutilation.
