By Tunmise Iluyomade
Wife of Osun State Governor, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola has appealed to mothers to form a common front in the fight against Gender Based Violence.
Describing the trend as growing and disturbing, Mr. Oyetola said all hand must be on deck to nip the menace in the bud completely.
The Osun First Lady made the appeal in Awka, Anambra state during a Mothers Day Summit with the theme “Fighting Gender based Violence in Covid-19 era” the event held at Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, the capital of Anambra state.
Mrs Oyetola noted with concern that the harmful acts are mostly found to be rooted in gender inequality, abuse of power and harmful traditional practices among others.
She emphasised on the urgent need to form a band wagon synergy to redress the many wrongs and attendant hazards associated with the trend.
The Osun First Lady cited some of the bad aspects of the issue of gender based to include but not limited to verbal harassment, female Genital mutilation , denials, blockade from resources, sometimes based on matrimonial status or widowhood, subjection of women to injurious activities like rape , beating and assault.
On the activities of the wives of governors in Nigeria, Mrs Oyetola who is the Chairperson of the Forum in the South, said the national umbrella body of the Forum is not leaving any stone to right the many wrongs associated with the myriad of gender based shortcomings in the society.
In his Opening remarks, one of the resource persons, professor Chike Okoye stated that, the problem of gender based violence such as child marriage, female genital mutilation, torture, high handedness and physical punishment among others make children to be exposed to the many dangers associated with the menace.
Prof.Okoye advised on the need to put an end to the ugly and inhuman menace in the society just as she tasked all stakeholders especially women to strengthen the economic support of the family through wholesome efforts to fight gender based violence in Covid-19 era.
Also Speaking, the Chief Host and Wife of the governor of Anambra State, Lady (Mrs) Ebelechukwu Obiano aligned her submissions on the menace as earlier articulated by the Osun First lady, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola.
She also commended her and other Governors’ wives in the South and the country at large for not leaving any stone unturned to fight gender based Violence in the society.
Virtually all the wives of the Governors in the South were in attendance while the Minister of women Affairs ,Mrs Paulen Tallen was represented by a permanent Secretary in her Ministry .
