The continued campaign to ensure total eradication of obnoxious practice of Female Genital Mutilation across the communities in the 27 Local Government Areas of Imo State has continued to yield fruits.
Marking the United Nation’s Anniversary of Zero Tolerance of Female Genital Mutilation on Tuesday 6th every year, the people of Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State has intensified effort to the elimination of the scourge in their various communities
Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune Correspondent in his Community on Tuesday, the traditional ruler of Imerienwe Autonomous Community HRH Eze Augustine Ekeh who spoke through the palace secretary, Michael Alozie commended his people for adhering to the zero tolerance of FGM.
He declared that about 95 per cent of his people are compliant to the UNICEF sensitisation but regretted that only a few are still believing that hand-pressing does not mean mutilation.
“I cannot say that 100 per cent are compliant, only a few still feel that hand-pressing does not mean mutilation, but we are still preaching to them and I believe very soon everybody will comply with the teaching”.
Also reacting, the Home and Abroad Women President of Ubichukwu comminity in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area, Mrs Christiana Oshionya, said that the compliance in her community was total considering the measures the women group stipulated in their area.
According to her, we spread the message with the slogan “live it as God created it”, meaning that nobody can touch
At Okpala Umuekune community in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State,the people vowed to banish anyone who engages in the obnoxious cultural practice of mutilating the genitals of the girl child.
The traditional ruler of Okpala Umuekwune Community, Eze Bara Ikegwu made this known at Umuhu-Ngor during a meeting organized for Stakeholders in the fight against the practice.
Although there are claims that the people have jettisoned the harmful traditional procedure during which part of the female genital organ is being mutilated, there are reported cases of mothers using hot water to massage the genitals thereby leaving the organ numb.
Advocates of this ugly practice have argued the measure is not only for cosmetic purposes but to help check promiscuity.
The traditional ruler of Okpala Umuekwune, Eze Ikegwu said severe sanctions awaited anybody that engaged in the practice.
He said: “we have carried out the campaign vigorously in our community and have passed a very strong law to banish any member of the community that engages in female genital mutilation.”
Also in his own view, the traditional ruler of Alulu, Eze Princewill Nwaogu and his counterpart from Egbelu Umuekwune, Eze George Nwosu said they had put machinery in motion to monitor those who encouraged the act.
He said: “If you are eventually caught practicing that you will be sanctioned for one cow and in some areas where we know they are practicing quacks we send people who are whistle blowers.”
Eze Nwosu on his own described it as unfortunate that Ngor Okpala is still being listed as one of the places where this bad cultural practice is still being prevalent.
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