By Lillian Okenwa
39-year-old man, Mfon Jeremiah is currently in custody for allegedly impregnating his 13-year-old biological daughter FIRRO Estate, off Adesan, Mowe, Ogun State.
Mfon Jeremiah informed the police that he was dreaming of having sex with his wife who is separated from him, only to discover that it was his daughter that he had sex with. The 13-year-old is already four months pregnant.
In August, 49-year-old Amoda Bola, was arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for impregnating his 14-year-old biological daughter.
He was arrested after his daughter reported at Ode Remo Divisional headquarters, that her father with whom she has been living has been raping her. She equally revealed that her father has also been inviting men to the house to have sex with her, after which he will receive money from the men.
In March operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Kebbi state command, arrested and paraded 40-year-old Aminu Bello for allegedly raping his 13-year-old daughter Hafsat.
Another 13-year-old-girl in Akwa Ibom narrated how her father, Godwin Jeremiah, sexually assaulted her repeatedly in their home. She spoke to journalists after Jeremiah, a bricklayer from Ikot Udota was arrested by police officers from the Divisional Headquarters in Eket Local Government Area.
Amidst tears, she accused her father of forcefully having sex with her mostly at night, and almost on a daily basis. She said that her father’s friend, one Mr. Michael, from Ikot Udoma village, also attempted to rape her, but he ran away when she raised alarm.
“My father forcefully abused me sexually. This occurs almost on daily basis in spite of my resistance and the pains and injury I sustained from the ungodly act. Initially, I reported the case to my stepmother who confronted my father, but she was beaten and this made her flee from my father’s house.”
Days ago, 3-year-old Siyama died four days after she was brutally raped by 40-year-old Idi of Lungun Alhaji Halliru in Gama, Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State.
Truly, Rape has Federal Character in Nigeria, and here is how Dr. Gloria Shajobi-Ibikule of the University of Abuja summed it up. “The phenomenon of rape is all over the country, being reported in all the 36 states including Federal Capital Territory and the 774 Local Government Areas of the nation.”
Meanwhile, Mrs. Amina Suzanah Agbaje, the Country Vice President, CVP, of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA Nigeria who had called for castration as a deterrent to rape in an interview with PUNCH Newspapers raised concerns that “there has been increased attention and focus on issues that affect the girl-child, yet sadly this does not, in reality, translate to investments in the wellbeing and actualization of the rights of the girl-child…”
Agbaje who observed that though there are legal frameworks to fight rape in the country, “We have a problem with the implementation of the laws”, added “I agree that castration should be included in our laws as punishment for rape and defilement. I think that will serve as a deterrent.”
The FIDA CVP in a statement to commemorate the International Day of the Girl-Child 2022 with the theme —“Our Time is Now-Our Rights, Our Future”, urged that the girl-child should be encouraged to thrive “as she sets to fulfill her potential and take on the world given the right boost, enabling environment, and the platform to make that change.”
Amina Agbaje’s full statement reads:
In commemorating this year’s UN Day of the Girl-Child, FIDA Nigeria aligns with the assertion of the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, who posited as follows:
“We need to uphold the equal rights, voices and influence of girls in our families, communities and nations. Girls can be powerful agents of change, and nothing should keep them from participating fully in all areas of life.”
To be born a girl-child in most parts of the world comes with its own disadvantages and difficulties which are increasingly faced by females in a world that is progressively biased towards the rights and future of the girl-child. This holds true particularly as it relates to the opportunities available to the girl-child, who appears to have the deck stacked against her and fewer chances to excel. One glaring constraint is the lack of access to affordable, inclusive, and qualitative education which is a basic right.
There has been increased attention and focus on issues that affect the girl-child, yet sadly this does not in reality translate to investments in the wellbeing and actualization of the rights of the girl-child, with women continually being victims of discrimination and under-represented in all spheres of the society, further made worse by the gradual increase in humanitarian crises around the world of which the female child is at worst risk.
In Nigeria alone, the issues of early marriage, sexual and gender-based violence, lack of educational opportunities, lack of funding, child-labor, trafficking, early pregnancy, poverty, illiteracy, harmful gender stereotypes, male gender preferences, insecurity, disabilities, discriminatory laws, ingrained socio-cultural and religious beliefs, economic and political discrimination, are some of the challenges faced by the girl-child, which are further exacerbated by patriarchy, making the girlchild truly “endangered” in all ramifications.
Closely related to the above is the issue of gender inequality and gender discrimination, which are huge social problems facing women all over the world, and a barrier to human development.
Despite the myriad challenges which have lifelong consequences for the girl-child and the society at large, the resourcefulness and resilience of the girl-child is unmatched, proving time and time again that given the right conditions, opportunities, impetus, the girl-child is a change-driver, changing the narrative towards a better world.
It is without doubt a truism that, when you train a woman you train a nation! Rapid Socio-economic development of a society has been observed to depend on the caliber of women and their education. Education being the cornerstone of all development and the starting point for success, bestows the disposition for the acquisition of knowledge, competence and skills. It increases one’s involvement and participation in the political space while contributing effectively to societal growth and governance.
The importance of girl-child education cannot be over-emphasized as every child deserves to be educated irrespective of gender, religion or disability being a basic human right as recognized by the 1948 adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
It is time to further galvanize, spur and engage stakeholders all over the world; government officials, policymakers, other change drivers, to deeply amplify our voices toward providing a fertile, conducive and safe environment devoid of discrimination and filled with opportunities for the girl-child to thrive effectively and achieve her fullest potential.
FIDA Nigeria in addition to the above, also calls for the adoption of non -policy measures i.e change in attitude and perception about gender roles, public enlightenment and sensitization on implication and ills of gender stereotyping and discriminatory practices.
Let us join hands to ensure that the girl-child thrives as she sets to fulfill her potential and take on the world given the right boost, enabling environment, and the platform to make that change. Indeed, our time is Now! Our rights, Our Future!
#FIDANigeria #IntlDayoftheGirlChild2022 #OurTimeisNow #OurRightsOurFuture #GirlChild #womensrightsarehumanrights #genderparity
Truly Yours,
Amina Suzanah Agbaje, Mrs.
Country Vice President/CVP
FIDA Nigeria
