FGM Day 2020: Osun Must Achieve Zero Tolerance For Female Genital Mutilation Olamiju, S.A. Public Health

The Special Adviser to State of Osun Governor on Public Health, Pharmacist Olasiji Olamiju on Thursday said that 76 out of every 100 females in the state had had one form of Female Genital Mutilation or the other.

Olamiju made this known at a one-day enlightenment lecture to commemorate the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2020 organised by the Ministry of women and children affairs in collaboration with The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Osogbo.

He decried the prevalence of FGM in the state, saying that it affected a significant number of the population, the women.

According to him, FGM is still practised because some family believed it ensured virginity, protected female chastity and curbed promiscuity.

Olamiju said: “All these reasons are wrong; we need to protect our women.

FGM is an abuse against the girl child and women hence the need for it's abandonment in all parts of the State."

“It is a global problem, as it violates the rights of young girls and women to health, security and physical integrity and, occasionally, to life; it does not have any health or social benefits whatsoever.”

"The state government under the leadership of Governor Gboyega Oyetola has always been in the forefront against such practices and collaboration is ongoing between the state government and relevant organisations, community and religious leaders to stop FGM in the state.

He added that there had been intensified community awareness and education programmes to stop the practice by the wife of the Governor, Alhaja Kafayat Oyetola.

He listed the negative consequences of female genital mutilation to include excessive bleeding, extreme pain, infections, possibility of infertility and outright bareness.

“We will do everything possible to eliminate FGM, and this act must never be performed in the State of Osun, so that together we can achieve a zero tolerance for FGM”, Olamiju concluded.