By Lucy Osuizigbo
Lagos – A Traditional ruler, Oba Adewale Shotobi, has advised the Lagos State Government to set up a committee on “Total Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)’’ in the state.
Shotoba, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu in Lagos State, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday.
He said that the committee should work with the state House of Assembly to update existing laws or promulgate new laws that would deal decisively with the matter of FGM.
The Oba said that in spite of regular public enlightenment on the health implications and lifelong torture the FGM was causing to female, many parents still engaged in the act.
The monarch said that with increasing education and awareness in Ikorodu, the practice had reduced by 95 per cent.
According to him, the remaining five per cent that practised FGM are in few remote villages where people from other tribes are concentrated.
“FGM was primitively adopted by our forefathers in form of cultural value to sharpen and strengthen the life of the girl-child socially.
“It was meant to moderate her life from infancy in relation to sexual activities when she attained adulthood.
“In those days, adultery and fornication were regarded as huge offences after murder, and FGM was regarded as a tool to curb these offences.
“The action was regarded as an easy and firm way of curbing the girl-child’s sexual urge and curbing promiscuity in the society.
“It was practised without considering the negative impact it would have on the girl-child.’’
“In Ikorodu, the Atuwon Family is regarded as experts when it comes to male and female circumcision. They were hugely patronised by people of the old Ikorodu town.
“The blacksmiths carved a life-like tool used for the cutting of genital organ and ‘Omi Igbin’ (snail content) along with ‘Ebu’ (black powder) were being applied to stop the bleeding and facilitate healing.
“However, scientific researchers have proved beyond reasonable doubt that FGM must be stopped.’’
He said traditional and community leaders had a role to play in the eradication of FGM.
The monarch urged other traditional rulers and community leaders to support the state government in the total eradication of FGM in the state and by extension, the whole country.
NAN reports that Feb. 6 of every year has been set aside by the United Nations as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
FGM causes physical damage to victims, female circumcision is almost never performed by people with any medical training. As a result the procedure causes numerous physical problems aside from the damage to the external genitalia.
Victims of female circumcision suffer from greater levels of uterine and pelvic infections, scarring, pain during menstruation and sex, increased risks of bladder infections and many other physical problems.
It leads to psychological trauma. Women who have been subjected to it suffer from post-traumatic stress, anxiety disorders and depression.
In the cultures that practise female circumcision, women have minimal rights and are often viewed as the property of their families and then later their husbands.
The act of circumcision, as a violent assault carried out without informed consent, is a way to entrench this power imbalance. It is linked to girls dropping out of school early, child marriage and child pregnancy.
All of these have a huge impact on a girl’s life opportunities.
Despite the insistence of people within the cultures that carry out female circumcision, the procedure has absolutely no health benefits.
It is often believed that a girl who has undergone circumcision is cleaner and more fertile, but this is known to be false.
Female circumcision increases vaginal and uterine infections and also increases the risk of infertility.
Female circumcision is a violation of the rights of girls and women.
The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution banning it because the practice is harmful and a serious threat to women.
This is because it is often carried out without consent, and forcibly against a girl’s will, it also contravenes treaties such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
