BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
THE Chancellor of the Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State, His Royal Highness Ezeogo Ewa-Elechi, has recommended strengthening of Nigerian laws against gender-based violence as a way out of assaults on womanhood.
The Chancellor, who is also the traditional ruler of Ohaisu autonomous community in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, gave the recommendation during a ‘Men’s Summit’, otherwise referred to as ‘He for She’ summit in Abakaliki.
The summit was organised by a Non-Governmental organisation called Youthhub Africa.
The Chancellor gave the recommendation just as the Programs Officer of the NGO Olusegun Medupin, revealed that out of 36 states of the federation, only about 13 had domesticated the Violence Against Persons Prohibition law.
According to Ewa-Elechi, the Men’s summit is a platform for solidarity which helps to create awareness and draw attention to the alarming rate of gender based violence against women and girls in Nigeria, drawing up strategies on how to create more awareness within their communities to ensure a total end of the menace.
He enjoined all state governors in Nigeria to domesticate the VAPP law and ensure strict enforcement by the Judiciary during prosecutions to protect human rights of the female folk and give them a sense of belonging, stressing that without women, humanity would go into extinction.
He also attributed the causes of assaults on womanhood to effects of bad life styles like drunkenness on the part of the male folk.
The Chancellor said, “We are here on a summit to end violence against women and girls. The summit is very timely, thoughtful and useful. It is even delayed a little bit. The violence against women folk is outrageous, man assaulting his biological child; the campaign has to deepen.
“The summit is like a drop of pebble in water. I call for strengthening of Nigerian laws to protect women, including strict enforcement. When you make a law and don’t enforce it, it is no law.
“We have some things on the ground to be exploited to make the fight easier instead of duplicating laws. But more importantly, our family lives have to change radically. Drunkenness is not good for the society; it has created a generational gap.
“What we see now is young men drinking to stupor and when they get home, they assault their wives, children and anybody within sight. Most of the violence come as a result of drunkenness, irresponsibility.
“Having organised this summit, I think we are on the right track. The Men’s solidarity week helped to create awareness and draw attention to the alarming rate of gender based violence against women and girls in Nigeria, drawing up strategies on how to create more awareness within their communities.”
On his part, the Programs officer of the NGO, Medupin Olusegun, disclosed that the aim of the summit was to provide a platform for men in all walks of life to come together, discuss the issue of gender based violence against womanhood and the way forward.
“So when we come together as we have done in the men’s summit, we aim that at the end of it, we will be able to tell our selves the truth as men, to tell ourselves these are the boundaries you shouldn’t exceed; these are the dos and don’ts.
“We also try to break down those society norms and cultural norms we so much hold unto that is making us act against the female folk which is wrong. So, men’s summit is the platform where we the men engage our fellow men and tell our selves the truth in working to together to protect women and girls in the communities.”
He added, “Out of 36 states in the country, only about 13 have domesticated VAPP law. To that effect, we call for domestication of that law in states of the federation.
“All state Governors should, as a matter of emergency, domesticate that law and ensure it is implemented. We also noticed that some states where it is domesticated, it is not yet cited during prosecutions. We are of the opinion that the VAPP law should be implemented to the letter by the judiciary.”
