The Ekiti State Government, has lamented that the exponential increase in the incidences of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the society are sending innocent souls into their early graves and shattering beautiful ambitions of the citizens.
To bridle the sordid scenarios, the government called on critical stakeholders to coalesce efforts with Governor Biodun Oyebanji to defeat the festering menace of rape, sexual molestation, female genital mutilation and other anti social conducts in Ekiti.
The Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, said these in Ado Ekiti, on Wednesday, at the flag off of a two- day workshop against Gender Based Violence (GBV), organised by the Office of the first Lady in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government Affairs.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Afuye, in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, said it was heart-rending to note that in spite of the huge investment by government to dismantle the castle of GBV, that the state has continued to experience cases of violence against women and girls.
Mrs Afuye posited that the programme was significant on the premise that it will encourage the local communities to take action against violence and discrimination against women and the vulnerable girls.
“The menace of gender based violence had destroyed so many families, shattered beautiful ambitions and sent many to their untimely graves. It is a monster that had ravaged many homes. Therefore, it must be fought collectively to a standstill in our society.
“It is, however, sad to remark that many are dying in silence for lack of knowledge on what to do or where to find assistance when encountering gender based violence”, she stated.
She restated that Governor Oyebanji considers the female gender as strategic and indispensable to build a virile society, saying this necessitated why key elective and appointive positions were allotted to them in the Executive, Legislative and Judicial arms.
“In the executive arm, the Deputy Governor, the SSG, the Head of Service as well as many Commissioners and Special Advisers are women. In the Legislature, the State has the highest number of female members in all the 36 Houses of Assembly in Nigeria while we currently have the first female Clerk since the creation of Ekiti State.
“In the Judiciary, the President of the Customary Court of Appeal in our state is female. All these confirms that this administration will not only continue to give women a pride a place but also have zero tolerance to Gender Based Violence”.
Raising her voice against pervasive oppression of female gender, the Ekiti State First Lady, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, warned the citizens against protecting any GBV offender, stating that this was impeding the progress being made to stamp out the menace from the society.
Dr. Oyebanji, represented by the Head of Service, Dr. Folakemi Olomojobi, categorized Female Genital Mutilation as part of GBV, warning that any perpetrator apprehended shall be punished according to the law of the land.
“Even cases of barbaric bequeathing of widows to anyone, forced marriage, child labour and other oppressive actions are GBV and they are prohibited by law. It is therefore necessary to formulate policies to stop these by enforcing relevant laws already institutionalized by government”.
Specifically, the First Lady reiterated the commitment of Oyebanji’s government to ensuring that no child of school age is deprived access to education in Ekiti.
In her submission, the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr. Folorunso Olabode, described GBV as a serious violence against the integrity of the victims, urging the citizens to always speak up to be able to tame the “monster”.
Olabode stated that GVB always result in death and lifetime social stigma, this he said formed part of the reasons why the programme was conceptualised to shore up the awareness of the citizens.
Also, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata, said the Ministry had devised ways through which offenders are speedily prosecuted, while the ‘name and shame’ policy is still in operation to further put the convicts into court of public opinion.
Present at the programme are Female Local Government Chairmen, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Peju Babafemi, Commissioner for Education, Dr. Kofoworola Aderiye, Wives of the Local Government Chairmen, civil servants, trade union leaders, women groups across the 16 Local Government and the Local Council Development Areas.