MIXED REACTIONS TRAIL THE MURDER  OF DEBORAH SAMUEL

Featured by GLOBE-TELLY, posted in FEATURE

An angry mob of protesters recently burnt up a level 2 student at the Shehu Shagari college of education, Sokoto , Deborah Samuel, due to claims of  blasphemy against the holy prophet Muhammed.

 Following this development, several notable Nigerians have reacted to the incident.

The sultan of Sokoto in a statement released by the Sultanate council condemned the incident in its totality, and further urged residents to stay calm and ensure peaceful co-existence amongst all.     

 Popular Nigerian politician, Adamu Garba said just like no christian will take respect for Jesus lightly, so also no Muslim will tolerate denigrating prophet Mohammed, referring to any such against the prophet Mohammed as a red line that can not be compromised

The Grand Mufti of Conference of Islamic Organizations, (CIO), Sheik Dikrullah Shafi’I , has described the conduct  of the students who killed Deborah Samuel as unlawful, inhuman and that it does not in any way represent the position of Islam, while he established that “Islam places huge value on human soul”

Former Inspector General of Police’s son, and son-in-law to Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, Jamil Abubakar, from his viewpoint, said that blasphemy is frowned on by all religions. He emphasised  that the punishment for blasphemy is death,  adding that people should respect others religion. 

The vice president of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo on his part, described the incident as  “deeply distressing and very unfortunate”. He then referred to the President and the Sultan of Sokoto as having condemned the act respectively, stressing that there is no justification for extrajudicial killings, seeing there are legal channels to address any misdeed.

A personal assistant to the Sokoto Finance Commissioner, Anas Mohammed Sani, claimed that the victim, Ms. Samuel was murdered in cold blood because she was careless with her words. In his statement, “if anyone will repeat it tomorrow, the probability of being served same meal is 99.9%”                                                           

The General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God, R.C.C.G, Enoch Adeboye, in his own words, claimed “religion is not the problem of Nigeria”, he further explained that when the Kaduna-Abuja train attack occurred, Christians were not separated from Muslims to be killed, nor did the bullets distinguish one from the other. So he concluded that the killing of the female student had nothing to do with religion, in his own opinion.

The self styled Imam of Peace, an Australian Shia Muslim influencer, popularly known as “Imam of peace” took to his official twitter handle, and contributed that Prophet Mohammed never killed anyone for insulting him or even throwing rocks at him. 

According to the Australian muslim influencer, Mohammed’s neighbor used to pile garbage at his doorstep daily, and one day when there was no garbage, and he found out that she was ill, he went visiting her, and wished her well. He made this comment via his Twitter handle @Imam of peace, with #DEBORAH following his comments.

He went ahead to praise the sultan of Sokoto for what he referred to as his “wisdom and swift condemnation”

The British government joined the calls on the government of Nigeria to bring the perpetrators to justice as President Muhammed Buhari ordered a probe into the incident.

Recall that, according to reports,  two suspects have since been arrested, over the killing of their female colleague, Deborah Samuel, in Sokoto

IMN REACTS ON ELZAKAZY’S ARRIVAL

Featured by GLOBE-TELLY, posted in NEWS

The leader of Proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria,  El-Zakzaky has arrived the country four days after he traveled to India for medical treatment. 

Meanwhile, the group  has accused the Nigerian Government of ulterior motive in the treatment of its leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

IMN made the allegation in a statement by its spokesman, Ibrahim Musa, shortly after EL-ZAKZAKY and his wife, Zeenat, returned from India.

While confirming the arrival of its leader following an impasse regarding El-Zakzaky’s treatment and freedom to move freely in India, the group condemned the manner in which the Shiite leader was taken away from the airport on arrival, without allowing him to speak to journalists.

The group claimed that rather than treating him, medical officials were taking selfies with its leader and posting on social media.

It said such action violated El-Zakzaky’s privacy and asked the Federal Government to obey the orders of the court.

THE NEW KING AND THE TASK AHEAD

by GLOBE-TELLY, posted in OPINION

The All Progressives Congress flag bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was in the early hours of Wednesday March 1, declared the winner of the February 25 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

According to the commission, Tinubu polls 8,794,729 and got the required 25 per cent in 30 states to defeat his major opponents, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, who came second with 6,984,520 votes and Peter Obi of the Labour Party who got 6,101,533 votes.

Before the 2023 presidential election, some people predicted the elections will not hold, while many more were disturbed on the possible display of violence and outright breakdown of law and order after announcement of results. 

But in the end, there would only be one winner and going by history, the outcome would be disputed, no matter who won. 

As expected, Obi and Atiku have both rejected the outcome and are already challenging it in court. Interesting times ahead. Some would say it is a waste of time, but that was exactly what people told Obi in 2003 when he believed he was cheated in the Anambra governorship election. He gathered the evidence and went to the tribunal to prove that the final results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were false. It took him a while, but he won.

Tinubu has never hidden his ambition to lead the country. Despite tongues wagging at him, the political hurdles on his way, even during primaries, the cloud of controversies surrounding his birth and education, his rumoured wealth believed to be steeped in corruption, his alleged stranglehold on Lagos politics and finance, public worries over his health and doubts about his fitness for the most demanding job in the land, the ex-Lagos Governor has instead used the bricks and stones thrown at him to build a ladder to his dream job.

Some analysts are of the opinion that the president-elect of Nigeria, surely has to thank the broken opposition for his victory. Perhaps, it would have been more difficult for him if he was facing PDP’s Atiku Abubakar only. Previously, the south-east, south-south and Christian north always came through for the PDP in presidential elections, but this time they had to share their votes and LP’s Peter Obi was the major beneficiary.

This year’s presidential poll was an eye opener. It was full of surprises. Permutations were rubbished predictions never came true in many respects. Some candidates were underrated to opponents’ peril. Results in many districts and constituencies did not align with expectations. There were right and wrong projections.

It is often said that power is never served a la carte, and Asiwaju did not get it on a golden platter. His victory underscores the audacity of hope and power of courage. He is a thoroughbred politician. His lieutenants confirmed that he was not only focused, but planned well and teamed up with the right people across the six geo-political zones to realise his life-long ambition for selfless and higher service to his fatherland.

That the kingmaker has become king is not the end of the matter, hopefully, the president-elect would assemble a solid team, an inclusive, goal-oriented, and accountable administration that will rejuvenate and manage the ailing economy well. Asiwaju’s wealth of experience and visionary leadership must be felt in every aspect of our national life. It is gratifying that he has waved the olive branch and promised a government of national unity. This makes him the real unifier.

The economy is on crutches. Excuses will not be permitted. The problem of Nigeria has become Tinubu’s problem. Graduate unemployment, insecurity and epileptic power supply are among Nigeria’s major challenges. It is noteworthy that the President-elect has acknowledged that if electricity is fully resolved, the nation’s problems would be half-solved and all would be well with the nation. 

The greatest task in the months and years ahead, is the resolution of the national question through restructuring. Nigeria also expects reforms across the various sectors.

In four years time, the incoming administration will be assessed. Nigeria will not remain the same.

On the whole, Nigerians have made the decision that seem best to them. A democrat and statesman has been elected to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29. It is a turning point in national history; the beginning of a new dawn. Those who think otherwise are already in court.

INEC SHIFTS GOVERNORSHIP, STATE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS BY A WEEK

by GLOBE-TELLY, posted in NEWS

The Independent National Electoral Commission has postponed the governorship and state assembly elections scheduled to hold on March 11 by one week.

This was made known in a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC, Festus Okoye on Wednesday.

The elections will now hold on March 18, 2023.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and his commissioners held a closed-door meeting over the governorship election. The meeting commenced at 7pm on Wednesday.

The decision was reached after the meeting with the INEC chairman and his team.

The postponement is coming about three days before the March 11 date earlier scheduled for the state elections.

Consequently, all activities pertaining to the exercise are rescheduled, especially the states inspection of sensitive materials at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

INEC’s decision was due to the commission’s inability to earnestly commence reconfiguration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines utilised during the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections to enable their use in the state elections.

SUPREME COURT ORDERS OLD N200, N500, N1000 NOTES TO REMAIN LEGAL TENDER TILL DEC 31

by GLOBE-TELLY, posted in NEWS

The Supreme Court has ordered that old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes remain in circulation till December 31, 2023.

The apex court on Friday, also nullified the Federal Government’s naira redesign policy, declaring it as an affront to the 1999 Constitution.

Justice Emmanuel Agim, who read the lead judgement, held that the preliminary objections by the defendants (the Attorney General of the Federation, Bayelsa and Edo states) are dismissed as the court has the jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

According to the court, the policy has led to some people engaging in trade by barter in this modern age in a bid to survive. The court added that the President’s disobedience of the February 8 order, is a sign of dictatorship.

The apex court further held that President Muhammadu Buhari in his broadcast admitted that the policy is flawed with a lot of challenges.Citing Section 23(2)1 of the constitution, the court held that the dispute between the Federal Government and states must involve law or facts.Sixteen states of the Federation instituted the suit to challenge the legality or otherwise of the introduction of the policy.The suit initially instituted by Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states has been slated as the first case on the cause list for a final verdict.Justice John Inyang Okoro who led a seven-man panel of Justices of the Court had on February 22 fixed today for the court to make its decision known on the suit.

The 16 states led by Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara are praying the apex court to void and set aside the policy on the ground that it is inflicting hardships on innocent Nigerians

They accused the President of usurping the function of the CBN in the introduction and implementation of the policy and asked that the directive issued by Buhari be voided. 

Governors in attendance to witness the judgement in court on Friday include Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state, Yahaya Bello of Kogi state and Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle.

“THE ERA OF RENEWED HOPE”- BY THE PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, BOLA TINUBU

by GLOBE-TELLY, posted in FEATURE

28 February 2115

My fellow Nigerians,

I am profoundly humbled that you have elected me to serve as the 16th president of our beloved republic. This is a shining moment in the life of any man and affirmation of our democratic existence. From my heart, I say thank you.

Whether you are Batified, Atikulated, Obidient, Kwankwasiyya, or have any other political affiliation, you voted for a better, more hopeful nation and I thank you for your participation and dedication to our democracy.

You decided to place your trust in the democratic vision of a Nigeria founded on shared prosperity and one nurtured by the ideals of unity, justice, peace and tolerance. Renewed hope has dawned in Nigeria.

We commend INEC for running a free and fair election. The lapses that did occur were relatively few in number and were immaterial to the final outcome. With each cycle of elections, we steadily perfect this process so vital to our democratic life.

Today, Nigeria stands tall as the giant of Africa. It shines even brighter as the continent’s biggest democracy.

I thank all who supported my campaign. From President Buhari who adeptly led my campaign as its chairman, to my Vice Presidential Candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima.

To the progressive governors of our party and this nation, to the party leadership, to our loyal party members. I owe you a debt of gratitude. To the entire campaign organization, I thank you sincerely.

I thank my loving wife and dear family whose support was ceaseless and inspiring. Without you, this victory would not be possible.

I am grateful to Almighty God. By His mercy, I was born a son of Nigeria and through His sublime purpose I find myself the victor of this election. May He grant me the wisdom and courage to lead the nation to the greatness He alone has destined for it.

Finally, I thank the Nigerian people for their abiding belief in our democracy. I shall be a fair leader to all Nigerians. I will be in tune with your aspirations, charge up your energies and harness your talents to deliver a nation that we can be proud of.

To my fellow candidates, former VP Atiku, former governor Kwankwaso, former governor Obi and all others, I extend the hand of friendship. This was a competitive, high-spirited campaign.

You have my utmost respect.

Political competition must now give way to political conciliation and inclusive governance.

During the election, you may have been my opponent but you were never my enemy. In my heart, you are my brothers.

Still, I know some candidates will be hard put to accept the election results. It is your right to seek legal recourse. What is neither right nor defensible is for anybody to resort to violence. Any challenge to the electoral outcome should be made in a court of law, and not in the streets.

I also ask my supporters to let peace reign and tensions fade. We ran a principled, peaceful and progressive campaign. The aftermath of our campaign must be as benign.

Yes, there are divisions amongst us that should not exist. Many people are uncertain, angry and hurt; I reach out to every one of you. Let the better aspects of our humanity step forward at this fateful moment. Let us begin to heal and bring calm to our nation.

Now, to you, the young people of this country, I hear you loud and clear. I understand your pains, your yearnings for good governance, a functional economy and a safe nation that protects you and your future.

I am aware that for many of you Nigeria has become a place of abiding challenges limiting your ability to see a bright future for yourselves.

Remodeling our precious national home requires the harmonious efforts of all of us, especially the youth. Working together, we shall move this nation as never before.

My running mate, Vice President-elect Shettima, and I understand the challenges ahead. More importantly, we also understand and deeply value the talent and innate goodness of you, the Nigerian people. We pledge to listen and to do the difficult things, the big deeds, that put us on the path of irreversible progress. Hold us firmly to account, but please give us a chance first.

Together, we shall build a brighter and more productive society for today, tomorrow and for years to come.

Today, you have given me the greatest honor you can bestow on one man.

In return, I will give you my utmost as your next president and commander-in-chief. Peace, unity and prosperity shall be the cornerstones of the society we intend to build. When you gaze upon what we shall accomplish in the coming years, you shall speak with pride at being a Nigerian.

I thank you all.

God bless you all.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

IT’S INDEED TINUBU’S TURN! INEC DECLARES HIM PRESIDENT -ELECT

by GLOBE-TELLY, posted in NEWS

The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, as the president-elect.

The INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, announced Tinubu as the winner at the International Civic Centre in Abuja during the early hours of Wednesday.

Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor, was declared the president-elect after the 70-year-old polled 8,794,726 votes to win the 2023 presidential election.

He won the election ahead of other contenders — the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Atiku Abubakar; the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi; and the New Nigeria Peoples Party candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

The three leading presidential candidates won in 12 states each while Kwankwaso claimed only Kano State.

Tinubu edged Atiku, a former vice president and his closest challenger, with no fewer than 1.8 million votes.

It is worthy of note that the 2023 presidential election is the first time that Tinubu contested for the nation’s top job. The former senator left office as a two-term governor of Lagos State in 2007 and is credited with leading the coalition that ousted the PDP from power in 2015 and has extended his influence beyond the South-West region in recent years.

The states won by Tinubu so far include Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Kwara, Ekiti, Kogi, Benue, Zamfara and Jigawa, while Atiku emerged victorious in Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi, Bayelsa, Adamawa and Akwa Ibom.

On the other hand, Atiku got the highest votes in Katsina, Yobe, Osun, Adamawa, Gombe, Bayelsa, Kaduna, Sokoto, Bauchi, Taraba, Kebbi, Akwa Ibom while Obi has won Lagos, Enugu, Cross River, Nasarawa, Imo, Anambra, Abia, Delta and Plateau states as well as the FCT. 

In the final computation, APC polled 8,794,726 votes, PDP amassed 6,984,520 votes, LP scored 6,101,533 votes and NNPP garnered 1,496,687 votes.

Declaring Tinubu as the winner, the INEC boss said, “That Tinubu Bola Ahmed of the APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”

APC CHAIRMAN OPTIMISTIC ON PARTY’S VICTORY, LAUDS INEC

by GLOBE-TELLY, posted in NEWS

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Adamu, has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission on the Bimodal Verification and Accreditation System.

Adamu gave the commendation in an interview with news men.

“Although the system malfunctioned in some places, it is not overwhelming to question the credibility of the election.“We heard from INEC that some BVAS malfunctioned.

Adamu further disclosed that he is optimistic that the APC presidential candidate, Tinubu will win the presidential election.

OBI WINS TINUBU’S LAGOS STATE

by GLOBE-TELLY, posted in NEWS

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has defeated his counterpart in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu in the February 25 poll in Lagos State.

Obi polled 582,454 votes to defeat the former Lagos State governor who scored 572,606 votes.”

Lagos is the base of Tinubu, who was governor of the state from 1999 to 2007. Obi also defeated Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Of the 87, 209,007 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected nationwide for the election, 6,214,970 PVCs were collected in Lagos. This is closely followed by Kano with 5,594,193, and Kaduna with 4,164, 473.

CASHLESS POLICY: BEGGARS GROAN

by GLOBE-TELLY, posted in FEATURE, OPINION

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, on October 26, 2022, announced that new Naira notes would be introduced to replace the 200, 500, and 1,000 Naira notes.

Emefiele said the redesign notes will take effect from Thursday, December 15, 2022, and existing notes would cease to be  legal tender by January 31, 2023.

Unfortunately, between the introduction date of the redesigned naira notes and the deadline, not many Nigerians had seen the new notes or accessed them, hence the extension of deadline for naira swap to February 10.

The policy which has received both negative and positive comments from Nigerians has been heavily criticised for the poor timing as the people now groan under hardship.

It is no longer strange to see unmanageable queues at Automated Teller Machines, ATM,  customers rising as early as 2am to have vantage spots on the line and ended up with less than N5,000 notes as take home after 6hours.

The riotous situation looks like the Stone Age experience. Citizens who are unable to access either the new or old naira notes are suffering untold hardship. Most of the affected persons are exhibiting a cocktail of frustration, anger and disappointment. In some areas, people are exhibiting wild, weird and even absurd behaviours to compel the banks to give them money no matter how little to survive the hard times.

The financial crises caused by this unguarded policy in the last few weeks are uncalled for. Not only has the naira redesign cum cash swap  resulted in scarcity of local currency or cash withdrawal limitations, which Nigerians have not experienced before,  the masses now have taste of hunger even when they have hundreds of thousands of naira in their bank accounts. 

Before now, it used to be the foreign currencies in the black market, Nigerians now buy their own local currencies with the same naira, as getting little cash to make purchases become more difficult than getting visas for overseas trip! 

The queue at the banks ATMs is endless. The struggle is energy sapping. People spend most part of their productive time at the banks, only to get as little as #2000 or nothing. Those who can go through the pain of waiting for a long time before getting cash now sell to those who can’t sacrifice their time.

Another set of merchants cashing out on this disturbing situation are the Point Of Sale, POS operators who are exploiting the cash crunch. To get N,5000 from an Operator, people pay between N700-N1000, depending on the naira merchant or POS operator. 

Small businesses have been negatively affected, with small enterprises closing down temporarily due to inaccessibility of cash. The ripple effect is unimaginable,  because, many of these traders run their businesses through loans acquired from microfinance banks. Some pay back monthly while others service their loans weekly. What happens when  the lenders come for their money with interests?

Also, many local suppliers don’t have banking culture but deal in cash. The cash crunch implies collapse of their businesses. The list is simply endless;  Mobility through public transport, petty purchases, airtime, TV subscriptions, groceries and other food items are done with cash. 

Videos of horrible happenings at the banks are in the social media,  men and women going naked to prove the urgency in their cash need, their hard earned money. This is not government grants! Elders weeping their hearts out like babies. 

If you ask around, Nigerians would never imagined that such days will come, when  able bodied and working class citizens will   experience difficulties in accessing their money. Beggars must be close to hell in their daily experiences.

Assistance to beggars in major Nigerian cities has always been in lower Naira denominations, so it is assumed that beggars were always in abundance, supplied. Petty traders, sometimes go to these beggars to get them for the lower denominations, for trading. 

The cash crunch caused by the Nigerian Central Bank’s Naira swap policy has changed the narrative,  as the beggars wait in vain for the crumbs that refuse to drop.

They sit on the pedestrian sidewalks at various locations in Lagos. They stretch their hands to beg for money, while their mouths mutter different sing-songs in their local language, in sync with one another. Crippled, blind and aged, they are all united by similar fate: they are all beggars. While some of them wear oversized clothes, the ones whose clothes sit well on them look unkempt. 

They flash at you, teeth tainted yellow with kola-chewing. A closer observation shows that the men sit some distance away from the women. Obviously, for religious reason! While some of their children sit busily to finger leftover foods, others hold, by hands, their blind parents. 

They now groan in lack, hunger and more hardship. Many of them get lesser wads of cash than they used to. Emefiele’s policy has taking its toll on them.

Musa Danladi is a beggar at Ijesha, Surulere. He reveals that people who used to give him and his friends alms do not do so anymore.

“I am tired of hunger. I initially thought I was going to die. Every one stopped sending help to us almost at the same. I am crippled, I can’t work. Nobody will employ me”

Fatima Toure couldn’t share her thoughts audibly. She tried to put words together amidst tearful eyes. Apparently, she and her aged mother didn’t plan for the unpleasant experience. She kept pleading ,if the government can take decisions to ameliorate their situation.

For blind Usman Said in Olodi-Apapa, life seems to be unfair. His parents were killed by insurgents in Yobe state. He lost his sight on the same day, through an attack. ” I got to know about the CBN policy through my friend who is an okada rider. We will be happy if it can be reversed because we don’t get financial aid anymore. We were told that government is against people carrying cash around. We plead for mercy. We are Nigerians “

If able-bodied men are lamenting hunger and anguish,  the situation of the beggars are better imagined. Men, women,  traders, students, beggars etc are lamenting their pains this season, it is hoped that the government will reconsider the policy or find a way ameliorate impact of the policy on all Nigerians.

HOW HIP HOP MUSIC PAVED WAY FOR MORAL DECADENCE

by GLOBE-TELLY, posted in Article


The kind of groove attached to the hip hop genre is so sensational, that the society relates better with this type of music than others, it has created a class of its own making it stand out from other genres of music.

Its relevance in this part of the world cannot be overlooked, it has formed an ideology in the hearts of the listeners particularly the youths. This class of music isn’t bad after all, the energy that resonates with the hip hop music is unique and well appreciated.

As far back as the 90s, the fuji class of music used to be in vogue with so much values, adults would rather listen to fuji music than any other type of music. In modern times the story has changed with so much craving for hip hop music.

Every style of music has its own importance, be it good or bad. Hiphop music in a way has encouraged a whole lot of negative acts through its lyrics and messages, upcoming artists with lesser understanding could also be blamed for promoting all sorts in their songs not considering the effects on the society.

Hiphop music becomes bad when its lyrics promotes sexual immorality, fraudulent activities, and substances use. Every dick and harry has turned hip hop music into business venture, maybe because of the fame or monetary benefits. Be that as it may, it’s only wise for the society to filter out songs that don’t have any moral value.

The older generation enjoyed good life, artists that began their career at that time are still being appreciated till today with a a lot at stake, lives were remodeled and reshaped. People who would have gone astray were drawn back into living a better life. This happened because artists of that time were interested in creating a value system that the society could fall back to, which was clearly achieved.

With the evolution of more songs in the Nigerian airwave, the internet, television, and radio has played a huge role in the dissemination of new contents. As good as this is, it also has aided and promoted some negative effects which need to be addressed before it becomes a menace to the society.

Authorities who place high premium on instilling moral values could do better by checking out all songs before they are released into the airspace, although upcoming artists go through the back door to promote their songs on YouTube and other social media platforms.

The society would be a much better place to live in if every individual understands the fact that not all songs must be listened to, as parents or guardians it has now become necessary to check the contents their wards listen to and prevent being corrupt by the ills of the society. The government should also come up with more stringent measures that would encourage these artists to be modest in their lyrics.

A PERSISTING RAPE CULTURE

by GLOBE-TELLY, posted in Article

Ibraheem Ogunyemi

The prevalence of sexual assault in Nigeria has been alarming to say the least.

According to HumAngle Media , there were 335 reported cases of different forms of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the first four months of 2022 across Nigeria.

The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund says six out of every 10 children in Nigeria experience emotional, physical, or sexual abuse before the age of 18, with half experiencing physical violence.

According to a survey by Positive Action for Treatment Access, over 31.4 percent of girls said their first sexual encounters were rape or forced sex of some kind.

Numerous cases have been reported across a number of states in the country with lives lost in the course of the assault ; the epidemic has led to the declaration of state of emergency on rape and sexual violence in the past.

Despite certain interventions, a culture of rape persists, making it difficult for victims to hold their abusers accountable.

Victims unwillingness to report cases simply because they lack faith in the Nigerian legal system is another reason for the low conviction of rape.

Even though the federal government has frowned on the scourge that is sexual assault; questionable judicial policies offer little or no protection for victims as they sometimes get stigmatized and humiliated which has brought about a habit of silence among victims.

Rape devastates the lives of the victims and their families, causing severe physical and psychological pains and sufferings, including death, sexually transmitted infectious diseases and unwanted pregnancies.

The need for more facilities to help victims through psychological trauma is paramount.

One of the high profile cases where justice was served was the sentence of Popular Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, alias Baba Ijesha, on July 14, 2022, to 16 years’ imprisonment by a Lagos State Domestic Violence and Special Offences Court for the defilement of a 14-year-old girl.

James had defiled the minor when she was seven years old and committed the same offence seven years later.

Again, on July 4, 2022, a nurse, identified only as Ebele, was excited that she finally got justice for her daughter and niece, who were aged six and seven when they were defiled by a housekeeper, Bright Izuchukwu, whom she employed to look after them in her absence.

Another incident involving two brothers said to be 10 and 15 years old, were said to have had carnal knowledge of their neighbour’s four-year-old daughter but the police did not disclose their identities because they are minors.

The two brothers were arraigned before a Yaba magistrates’ court in Lagos for raping a four-year-old girl.

Speaking on the way out, a member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Mrs. Philomena Nneji, said the increasing rate of domestic violence in Nigeria was psychologically devastating and worrisome.

She noted that domestic workers were one of the major perpetrators.

She described this as unfortunate because most homes relied on domestic help to keep up with the home front while trying to make ends meet through their careers or businesses.

 Nneji said women and children are among the most vulnerable members of society and require extra care.

She advised that parents should be proactively responsive instead of reactive, live up to their responsibilities to care for their children, and plan better towards that.

According to her, there is an urgent need to take action and teach children about what I refer to as abusive touch at a very early age of two years old and tell them that everyone is a suspect.

Adding that,Children should be fully enlightened and equipped against this social menace. Taekwondo should be introduced into the school curriculum;  teaching them how to be very defensive and open up to their parents at the right time. Parents should make their children their best friends and teach them sex education without any reservations.

Another parent who preferred anonymity   said, the unpalatable reality of the issue of rape in our society could not be talked about enough. He also blamed society for the reluctance of victims to come out .

He stated that if the government truly wish to address the pandemic of sexual violence, the nation wil have to contend with the facts and change course, adding that many women find that attitudes and misconceptions about rape, result in the victim being blamed for the crime

“Yes, friends, family, police, doctors, judges, and—those who should be helping the victim, often share misconceptions and hurt the victim nearly as deeply as did the rapist.

“Also, the lackluster response of justice administrators and absence of an institutional supportive system to help the victims is worrisome. More worrying is that a good number of suspected rapists move freely on the streets after committing the heinous act.”

Another parent simply identified as Ijeoma, said, “As a parent, whenever I hear about the incessant cases of rape in society, it gets me thinking about the safety of my teenagers. I always pray that no child should experience such a fate but you cannot keep them from going out so I talk to them to be conscious of people they meet outside.”

There are countless cases  , reported and unreported , where perpetrators walked free leaving victims to carry the shame forever .

The war against sexual assault epidemic must be fought on all fronts , more awareness must be created and every well meaning Nigerian , both individuals and institutions must play active role, most importantly,  the federal government must take charge and ensure sterner judicial policies on offenders which in turn should tame the scourge.