Tina Amanda
A young lady from a community in Etche local government area of the state has asked the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) to protect her from her father, who is forcing her to be a goddess against her will.
Our Correspondent reports that the young lady, whose name is withheld, approached FIDA Rivers on 14 March 2023, asking for her right to be protected under the law.
The lady in question said she is a graduate of the University of Port Harcourt and can not be subjected to represent the goddess of her community against her will.
She, however, demanded that her father be charged to court should he persist in forcing her to be a goddess, stressing that she only believes in Jesus Christ and does not want to be worshipped as the goddess of a community.
Reacting to the incident, Vice Chairperson FIDA Rivers, Emi Jim-George, told our Correspondent that under the constitution of section 35 and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, it is an offense to subject anyone to customs and traditions against their wish.
Jim-George explained that any law, tradition, or custom repugnant to natural justice, equity, and good conscience is nulled and void.
“The lady has a right because she is an adult; she decides for herself. She was emphatic that she is a graduate of the University of Port Harcourt; she knows her left from right, so the community can not force her against her will; such a person is highly protected under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law.
“She asked us to charge her father to the court that he is violating her right; he forced her to be imprisoned for she not to leave the community because she is their goddess. And the young lady is insisting she wants to move on with her life, that whatever her community believes in is not part of her, and she does not want to indulge in such kind of worship.
“FIDA will not fold its hands to see a human subjected to any form of practices, believes against a person’s will. I want to place it on record that the lady has a right, and her right will be protected under the law”.
