By Babatunde Tiamiyu
Some communities in Oyo East Local Government Area of Oyo State have publicly declared the abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
This development has formally committed traditional rulers and residents to stop performing, supporting, or tolerating the practice.
The declaration was made by Ajagba, Apaara, Imeleke, Apinni and Oke Apo communities as part of a campaign aimed at permanently ending FGM at the grassroots.
Speaking at the event, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of the Centre for Comprehensive Promotion of Reproductive Health, Mr. Emmanuel Yelotan, described the public declaration as the fifth stage in the structured process toward eradicating FGM.
He disclosed that five communities each across seven local government areas are expected to make similar declarations before the end of the year.
Mr. Yelotan explained that the next phase of the initiative would involve the establishment of End FGM Surveillance Teams within the communities.
According to Mr. Yelotan, the teams will be responsible for continuous sensitisation, monitoring compliance, and reminding residents that FGM is a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment and fines under existing laws.
He added that any violations would be reported to traditional rulers, community leaders, or designated representatives of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), who have been adequately trained on FGM-related issues.
Expressing optimism, Mr. Yelotan said that with sustained advocacy and the current level of active campaigning, Female Genital Mutilation is expected to be eliminated by the year 2030.
Also speaking, a representative of the Oyo State Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs. Iyabo Akintayo, emphasised the need for parents to shun FGM in order to safeguard the future, health and dignity of the girl child.
In her remarks, the Oyo State Amirah of FOMWAN, Dr. Lateefat Dairo, said the faith-based organisation has continued to play a critical role in the anti-FGM campaign through its strong grassroots presence.
She explained that FOMWAN members have been empowered with knowledge of the health risks and legal implications of FGM and are now serving as End FGM Champions within their communities.
Dr. Dairo commended Nigerians, particularly women, for their growing acceptance of the campaign and willingness to abandon the practice.
During advocacy visits to Ajagba and Apaara communities, billboards carrying inscriptions in both English and Yoruba languages, warning that Female Genital Mutilation must not be practised, were erected at strategic locations.
Certificates of public abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation were also presented to traditional rulers of the affected communities, including the Alajagba of Ajagba, Oba Olusegun Ogunrinde, and the Alaapara of Apaara, Baale Tijani Ajeigbe, in recognition of their leadership and commitment to ending the practice.
Earlier, FOMWAN, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Centre for Comprehensive Promotion of Reproductive Health, had held a consensus building meeting with traditional rulers and security agencies in Oyo East Local Government Area.
The meeting was aimed at enlightening participants on the health, social and legal implications of FGM, stressing that the practice is no longer a cultural issue but a violation of the law.
At the end of the meeting, participants unanimously agreed that existing laws prohibiting Female Genital Mutilation should be enforced rigorously.
