Jumoke Owoola, a Journalist, Community Advocate, Indigenous Knowledge and Development Expert with the deepest passion for volunteerism has called for the inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and African positive cultural values in curbing Gender-Based Violence and Child Abuse incidents in our society, most especially in Lagos State.
Joining other Community Advocates, Peer Educators, Human Rights Activists and Stakeholders fighting for such a worthy cause yesterday at the roundtable session organised by Otunba Gbenga Soloki’s led Center Against Injustice and Domestic Violence ( CAIDOV) with support from the Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Department of Amuwo – Odofin Local Government, Lagos State, she stressed further that one of the best antidotes to tackle this anomaly is to go back to the drawing board and look into what is readily available to proffer quicker, reliable and affordable solutions, putting cultural values and ideologies in the front burner.
Shedding lights, Owoola revealed that Indigenous Knowledge Systems refers to
the unique knowledge, practices, and beliefs developed by indigenous peoples over centuries, often in harmony with their environment and cultural context. It is not stagnant as it can revolve around contemporary issues.
“Awareness should be done in local languages and manners the locals will understand. Because, for the People to understand you, you need to speak their language. Coming to the rural areas speaking big grammar and wanting to have a positive impact will be a Herculean task. But, carrying them along in decision-making, and making them feel important and less inferior will open better doors to golden footsteps in achieving the desired results.
” Giving priority over one child against another is un-African. What of the interjection of Folktales in instilling morals and values into the veins of our little ones to grow with them? We need to revive this at home and schools . Where is the culture of joint sharing in Africa, mostly in Yoruba land that makes your child mine and mine yours? This allows joy and burden to be shared together.These are what we should be reviving. Empirical evidence has shown that this is realistic and achievable.
Even when a victim is too timid to call the appropriate authorities, the cultural aspects of sharing initiatives will push the neighbours to seek justice “
Going further, she calls for proper and periodical training for the Journalists reporting on these issues to have a better way of perceiving it.
” Ditto for our Artists in writing good scripts with better lines focusing on eradication of gender-based violence and child abuse.
” Media has a grip on the society and whatever they put into the public domain has a big impact, CAIDOV should enlarge its tentacles by educating them, and this is not leaving behind our Artistes who are seen as Role Models too” Jumoke Owoola enthused.
Welcoming the Participants, Otunba Gbenga Soloki, who is a Human Rights Activist, Communication Specialist and the Executive Director of CAIDOV, said that domestic violence impacts individuals and families across the nation.
Soloki stressed that it encompasses all forms of mistreatment, or aggression within relationships, adding that these include physical, sexual, emotional, cultural and financial abuses.
“It is our humble expectations that with the arrays of resource persons, participants and, even the narratives of victims of gender-based violence this session will excavate, dissect and proffer solutions to, we shall open a new vista in combating this social malaise “
“We are aware that the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, various Child Protection Services and, our Law Enforcement Agencies are striving hard to address this social migraine, the truth however, remains that these institutions and a couple of others with statutory mandates are overwhelmed.
“We feel strongly that we must bring this crusade to the doorsteps of grassroots dwellers and governance.
“Kindly deplore this session to examine how we can break the barriers scientifically and explore the social consequences of domestic violence concerning gender, age, ethnicity, religion or social status,” elated Soloki concluded.
The Chairman of the event and President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Comrade Debo Adeniran, said that the girl child is violated from birth by fathers who feel disappointed with female children.
Adeniran stated that a lot of things happen as a female grows up, saying that some paedophiles feast on them and harass them sexually.
“There are inadequate laws to protect the women. Parents collect dowries on them and they are sometimes sold into slavery. The girl child is seriously violated.
“Most times, the girl child is made to do household chores. Females even violate themselves. Women should be bold as they can become anything in this modern age.
“We now have female vice Chancellors and Managing Directors. Your husband doesn’t have to be richer than you or older than you.
“A woman can invite a man that she fancies for marriage. You should assert your rights as a woman. Women can be better, don’t underestimate yourselves and try to assert yourselves,” he opined.
Mrs Aderonke Oyelakin from the Lagos State Co-Ordinator, Child Protection Network
told the audience that the Child rights law in Lagos State came into existence in 2007, adding that the laws specify the relationship of the people with children.
She disclosed that there are four baskets of rights of children, which she said include survival that encompasses the rights to life, good health, balanced nutrition and related matters.
“There is a basket of development, which includes the development of the child spirit, soul and body, and protection, which includes parental care, protection of the child from child labour, child trafficking, ritual killing, sexual, physical and emotional abuse and neglect.
“We also have participation and this includes the right of the child to be involved in matters that concern them,” she said with concern.
Barrister Abass Oyeyemi, who represented Barrister Dotun Ajulo, Lagos NBA Chairman, spoke on the topic: “Global Legal Instruments And Conventions Against Domestic Violence And Child Abuse.”
Oyeyemi stated that there are several world conventions that protect human rights, saying that Nigeria is a signatory to the Child Rights Convention of 1989.
He said that different countries came together to agree and set a policy for the rights of children worldwide.
According to him, the law was enacted in 2003 as a Child Rights Act in Nigeria, and the law encompasses the rights of children.
He said: “It is against the law for Children to hawk on the streets or beg to feed. Lagos State is the first to domesticate the child rights law. We should sensitise the people on the law, and we should cooperate and let the offenders know the law,” he said
Dr (Mrs) Adeyinka Wulemat Olarinmoye of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Lagos State University (LASU), who spoke on “Cultural Roots of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse,” said that culture is a way of life, saying that it has great impacts on the way people reason.
Olarinmoye stated that people emphasise male than female children more based on culture and that this has its roots in “Ifa” in Yorubaland.
She said that the nation got it wrong due to westernisation and civilisation.
“Through slave trade and westernisation, we place Western culture above the Yoruba culture. The society is patriarchal because we have authority placed on men and we put them in positions of authority, while we relegate the women,” she said.
Lending her professional voice, Mrs Kemi Oguntoyibo from the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency also educated the participants on the need to ensure the welfare of the children, especially when a couple is divorced.
The Round Table Conference on Domestic Violence And Child Abuse, which was held at the Henry Ajomale Hall, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Council on Wednesday, August 31, 2024, had more than enough attendees who openly confessed to having gained more knowledge than when they first came in. The question and answer time gave all the avenues to air germaine issues that can make the society a better place than they met it.
Surprisingly and commendable, Hon. Valentine Buraimoh, the Chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government, was in attendance throughout the ceremony. This was unusual for Nigeria’s public office holders who are always busy.
