Unelected and unconstitutional, the office of First Lady at Federal, State and Local Government levels continues to divide citizens and attract criticisms. They get commendations, however, when they channel their enormous backseat-driving powers to good causes. On this note, we commend the First Ladies for their vigorous advocacy for ending sexual violence and better treatment of women generally.
Wives of Governors rose up to defend their gender and speak up for better treatment of the fair sex on July 23, against the backdrop of various reports on rape- even of minors- and domestic violence in the country. They followed the path of the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, in speaking up against any proclivity of the Police to treat with levity allegations against alleged perpetrators of rape, domestic violence and sexual harassment of women.
In the “Statement from the Wives of Governors of the Federal Republic of Nigeria concerning violence against women and children in Nigeria”, the First Ladies decried the “intense levels of violence against women and children in the country”. They empathised with and urged survivors “to be courageous in speaking up, no matter how long it takes”.
They noted: “It is also worrisome that women and children with special needs have also become targets of sexual violence. We note with concern that in spite of the existence of laws at the federal level such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2015 as well as legislations at State level to protect the well-being of women and children, perpetrators continue their despicable acts with impunity. On the rare occasions when incidences of rape are reported, victims are intimidated and shamed into silence.”
EreluBisiFayemi, wife of Chairman, Nigerian Governors Forum, Dr AminaAbubakar, Chair, Northern Governors’ Wives Forum, and Mrs Betsy Obaseki, Chair, Southern Governors’ Wives Forum signed the statement. Their statement contained nine appeals and points of action targeted at the Inspector General of Police, the Justice and Health ministries, State Governors and their attorney generals, civil society and advocacy organisations as well as the citizenry.
They called for the creation of Rape and Sexual Offences desks at police stations, asked the IG of Police to direct his men to treat rape and defilement cases with despatch while being “tactful and supportive” in handling alleged sexual offences. The Wives of Governors also want Attorney Generals at Federal and State levels to fast track cases on sexual violence, and the setting up of Special Offences Courts for such cases. They want the Minister of Health to ensure medical facilities have Rape Kits and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis equipment to prevent rape victims from contracting HIV. Finally, they want the National Assembly, Governors and State Houses of Assembly “to facilitate the passage of laws to protect women and children from violence and abuse”.
They also assigned roles to civil society organisations, religious leaders and the citizenry to speak up against violence against women and children. They pledged, “As wives of Governors, we are committed to using our positions to support all efforts aimed at mitigating this scourge. Nigerian women and children deserve to live their lives free from abuse of any kind.”
The strong agenda-setting statement of the Wives of Governors follows on the uproar that has attended the matter of Mrs Dakolo versus popular Abuja Pastor,BiodunFatoyinbo. Mrs Dakolo and her musician husband ratcheted up the issue by alleging that rather than attend to their complaint, the Nigeria Police tried to muzzle them into recanting their allegations.
The call of the Wives of Governors is timely and appropriate. It sets a broad agenda for discourse and action. It is also in line with the global trends on the issue as the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly declared on 5 October2018, that the world faces a “moment of opportunity” to end violence against women.
Many issues come up in the discourse on violence against women. They include female genital mutilation, rape and stigmatisation of victims, domestic violence, and online sexual harassment. There is also the trafficking of women for prostitution in foreign shores.
We support the Wives of Governors in lending their moral authority to the issue. Their suggestions are sensible. Concerned authorities could easily actualise them. For instance, the Nigeria Police can set up Rape and Sexual Offences desks starting at the level of the divisional police and then cascade down because of the human and fiscal resource implications.
Nigeria should join the global movement to elevate the status of women by doing away with harmful practices, some of which are misrepresentations of our culture.
