Speak out against rape, other social vices, Akeredolu’s wife tells women

WORRIED by high rate of rape cases, the wife of the Ondo State governor, Mrs Betty Akeredolu, has called on women in the state to speak out against rape and other social vices, while urging every stakeholder to find a lasting solution to the worrisome cases of defilement and raping of minors.

Mrs Akeredolu, who stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital, during a sensitisation  “Walk against rape,” frowned on the alarming rate of rape cases in the state and advocated for legislations that will ensure stiffer penalties for rapists and other social vices.

The wife of the governor said the walk against rape became imperative following the high rate of rape and child defilement in the state, which has been a concern to individuals, groups and  the government of the state.

The walk, which took off at the palace of  the traditional ruler of Akure kingdom, the Deji of Akure, Oba Ogunlade Aladelusi Aladetoyinbo, where the first lady informed the monarch that the “walk against rape” will be observed across all the 18 local government areas of the state.

FG sets up committee to recover N5trn owed AMCON

The first lady,  who was represented by the state   Commissioner  for Women Affairs,  Mrs. Titilayo Adeyemi, said that the women were in the palace to seek the monarch’s support and to inform him that the menace has reached a worrisome stage in the society.

She said “Kabiyesi,  we are here to inform the palace that the issue of rape is a great concern to everybody. We are tired of it and we are here to solicit the help of the palace.

“When a minor is raped,  it may cause premature death,  sickness  and trauma. There is high tendency for rape victims to develop unnecessary hatred for men, making it difficult to such victims to have a good home,” she said.

She added that rape menace should be condemned by all and sundry and sought the traditional institution’s support to expose suspected rapists for proper punishment.

In his response,  Oba Aladetoyinbo, who commended the governor’s wife over the initiative to put an end to incessant rape  cases in the state, condemned the menace and  advocated life punishment for rapists.

The monarch asked the women to hand over any suspect of rape to the palace for traditional oath-taking before being handed to police for legal action, saying the palace is in support of the initiative, and called on women in the state to continue to protest until no rape case happens in the state.

While describing any form of violence against women as barbaric and unacceptable, the monarch urged women to seek to know their rights under the law, shun silence, and be vocal on their own cause.

He condemned the prevalence of social nuisance in the society and  implored women to boldly voice out their discontent against domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy.

Similarly, the wife of the state Commissioner for Natural Resources, Mrs. Oluwatuyi  also explained that the essence of the walk was to propagate against rape in the state and commended the governor’s wife for her initiative to curb unnecessary sexual harassment to womenfolk in the state.

“Anyone caught in the act of rape should be dealt with.  I even suggest that rapists should be hanged, “Oluwatuyi stated.

In her words, the Erelu Iyaloja of Akure Kingdom,Chief  Mercy Adekanye, tasked parents to train their wards and be friendly with them in order for them to confide in their parents in case of rape. rise up

She described the initiative as great in curbing the menace in the state and advised parents to monitor and protect their children from being molested or raped saying all hands must be on deck to make rape a thing of the past in our society.

A number of stakeholders include NGOs, Commissioner and officials of Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of justice, representative of Police force, representative of NSCDC, NDLEA, chairpersons of 18 Local Government Areas of the State and a host of others converged on Akure to deliberate on way out of the menace.