Ngor Okpala, Ideato LGs Intensify Zero Tolerance of Female Genital Mutilation

Amby Uneze in Owerri

As the United Nations mark the anniversary of zero tolerance of female genital mutilation (FGM) on February 6th of every year, two local governments in Imo State have intensified effort to the elimination of the scourge in their various communities.

To this end, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and her development partners; the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Imo State, and the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State (BCA) embarked on field mission to document and report the current situation and progress being made to end FGM practice in affected communities in Imo state.

In Ngor Okpala local government, the palace secretary of Imerienwe community, Michael Alozie who spoke on behalf the traditional ruler, Eze Augustine Ekechi, commended his people for adhering to the zero tolerance of FGM.

He, however, assured 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,” he stated.

Mrs. Christiana Oshionya, the home and abroad women president of Ubichukwu community in Ngor Okpala local government told the field officers 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 it there in whatever manner.

The traditional ruler of Osina in Ideato North local government, Eze O.S.B Igwillo noted that the sensitisation of zero tolerance of female genital mutilation in his community has been welcomed and his subjects are living by it.

“Since the message came to our community and the follow up by the agencies, we in the Eze’s cabinet made it that every household is being monitored especially the pregnant women, their women-folks make sure they supervise when the child is born they know the sex of the baby. If a baby girl is born, the women also monitor to ensure that zero tolerance of genital mutilation is followed,” the traditional ruler said.

Mrs. Nonye Anyalebechi from Ikpa Uzoakoli Urualla in Ideato North local government expressed satisfaction that the sensitisation against female genital mutilation has gained wide acceptance in her community.

She stated that the people were able to accept it because it was carried out in all the hospitals and health centres in the community. She decried the dangers associated with the scourge but noted that such practice had stopped. 

In 2003, the United Nations declared February 6th of every year as International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM. The date has since been celebrated in pursuant of the need to stem awareness and campaigns with aim to ending this harmful practice.

UNICEF partners with the media in ensuring massive public awareness is created, this year in line with UNICEF’s visibility and communication plans, “we are engaging the media in two affected states of the South eastern Nigeria (Imo and Ebonyi) as frontliners and to embark on one day field mission to highlight current situation in the affected areas,” said the UNICEF Communication Officer of Enugu Field Office, Dr. Ijeoma Onuoha-Ogwe stated.