Fayemi Pledges War against Female Genital Mutilation

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has restated the commitment of his administration to relentlessly wage war against the Female Genital Mutilation(FGM) practice in the state. 

The governor also assured all  that the government is mapping out strategies for Ekiti to rank high  in the West African Examinations Council results in 2022, saying over 70 per cent of students made five credits including English and Mathematics in the last results.

Fayemi spoke in Ado Ekiti, yesterday  when Hacey Health Initiative presented prizes to five students, who came tops in the ‘Stop FGM Essay Competition’ held in Oyo , Ekiti and Osun States to increase their awareness on the negative implications of the practice.

The students are: Olamiju Abimbola Joy of  Ekiti State Government College Ikere; Ogundipe Kehinde Esther of  Christ Girls School, Ado Ekiti, and  Aborisade Omotolani Sarah of Christ Girls School Ado Ekiti.

Others include: Ayodele Susan Mary Mofopefuluwa, St. Louis Grammar School Ikere Ekiti and Oladapo Oluwaferanmi Aanuoluwa, Mary Immaculate Grammar School Ado Ekiti

Addressing the students, Fayemi, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Folakemi Olomojobi, said: “We are working hard, making laws and reaching out to our partners to ensure that we stop FGM . The fact that our students are aware of this scourge makes us happy.

“In  the last WAEC,  over 70 per cent of our students passed with five credits, including  English and Mathematics.”

We hope that we will do better this year, because we are doing our best to bring this to bear.

“We are looking at our partners from the non governmental organisations, donor agencies and spirited individuals to continue to help us. We are working hard to strengthen our education sector to sustain that honour that we are the Fountain of Knowledge.” 

The Executive Director, Hacey Health Initiative, Rhoda Robinson, said the programme was initiated to  educate  students in Ekiti, Oyo and Osun states on the issues surrounding FGM, their rights  and the laws prohibiting it.

“This essay competition was launched in the three states of Osun, Oyo and Ekiti who are leading in FGM practice  in the Southwest and these  five winners have been selected from over 700 entries that we got.

“The  competition really helped in educating  the students across the state on the evil called  female genital mutilation. This sensitisation was necessary to improve the health of female gender across Africa.

“And let me say that this prize is a token of appreciation to our students who participated.”

One of the recipients, Ogundipe Kehinde, said she was excited and happy.

 “This competition was an eye opener to me. With this honour,  I will fight for leadership position so that I can protect the lives of the people and implement the laws that forbid FGM in our society,” Kehinde said.