Babaloja General Alhaji Y.K. Abass and Iyaloja Gbagi Alhaja Moriyeba Adetunji advocated for women’s rights and urged men to support women’s empowerment programmes in their entirety. They said, “When you train a woman, you train a whole nation.”
Iyaloja Gbagi, in her welcome speech during FGM Champions Sensitisation in Gbagi Market, emphasised the need for women’s upgrades. She said, “Women are great. Men should allow us, give us equal rights, and stop cutting us off.”
Alhaja Adetunji, the market secretary, Comr. Morufu Azeez Mercy, Babalaje Alhaji K. O Lawal, and other association committee members of the popular international market in Ibadan were present on December 5, 2024, and joined their voices with FGM Champions, CBOs, and CSOs to raise a voice on total eradication against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in a road walk exercise from the Olaogun Egbeda Local Government axis through the Gbagi area. This commemorated the 16 days of activism to end violence against women and girls, tagged “No Excuse,” Unite to End Violence against Women and Girls, and highly harmful practices that violate human rights at Gbagi Bola Ige Market. The Chairman of the Gbagi Market Association, Alhaji Gani Adetayo, also added the voice on behalf of the entire market.
In her welcoming speech, Mrs. Idowu Simple Olabode, wife of Vice Chairman Egbeda LG, advised women to speak out and not to die in silence.
Representatives of the Oyo State Government, Hon. Balikis Adebisi; the Supervisory Councillor for Women Affairs, Hon. Chief Mrs Okunola Folashade; S.A. on Women Affairs; and Director of Education and Social Services, Mrs Ilugbaro Bosede, were also in attendance.
With Collective Team Work, the Facilitator’s messages, the Centre for Comprehensive Promotion of Reproductive Health, headed by Prof. Oladosu Ogengbede, with the Oyo State Government under Governor Engr. Abiodun Oluseyi Makinde, in collaboration with Sponsor United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), ably represented by Dr Ayodeji Uzoma, reached a wider audience at Gbagi Int. Business Market through a strategic channel with FGM town criers, trumpeters, Band boys, play cards, and sharing of flyers, pamphlets, and tags with free toll lines for feedback.
The market, which was highly sensitised, pledged its support to preach against every act of violence against humanity.
Princess Adetona, one of the FGM survivors, a Rural Development Director (Isemile) who was once a victim, shared her ordeal, her most traumatic stress at which the gravity cannot be weighed, having the fear of being stigmatised that denied her of taking action then.
The Centre for Comprehensive Promotion of Reproductive Health Senior Programs Coordinator, Mrs. Tolulope Babawarun, emphasises the need to connect with the grassroots and engage with communities to end the menace of cutting and violating human rights in her closing remarks.
The Achor, Mr. Emmanuel Oluwole from the Centre for Comprehensive Promotion of Reproductive Health UCH, also expressed gladness over the successful FGM Champions Roadwalk sensitisation outing, reaching a goal.
In an interview with REPORTERS AT LARGE, Dr Ayodeji Uzoma dwells heavily on the theme of the 2024 16-day activism at the poll, during which the FGM flag was unveiled during the sensitisation, and the FGM Flag pole was erected at the entrance of Gbagi Market.
