Violence Against Women
Violence against women might soon be levelled out and consigned to its proper place in the trash bin. This follows formidable challenges being put up by the womenfolk to fight the menace.
Determined to arrest the attention of the government on crime and other forms of violence against women, a huge number of women from all walks of life recently converged on Lagos to discus the matter. The event was held at the Women Development Centre in Agege.
The forum was a seminar organised by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Mothers of The Nation. The event, whose theme was, Silent Voices Speak, attracted Muslims, Christians, market women and a host of others.
Speaking on the occasion, founder of Mothers of The Nation, Rev. Dr. Priscilla Otuya, noted that women had been silent on crimes against them for long, adding that the time had come for them to tackle the matter headlong. She further said a strong wind of change was already blowing across nations and Nigeria could not be left out. Even the deaf and the blind, she added, would perceive its mighty force.
According to her, this change could not be complete if conscious attention was not paid by women to efforts at stopping crime against them.
Her words: “Women, especially women of faith, have been silent on this matter for so long. But now we speak so that the world may know that the Most High rules and reigns in the affairs of men. We the mothers of the nation have set up this event, particularly to sensitise government and faith-based leaders across the nation and our message to them is straight and simple - crime against women is ravaging our nation. Change will not come until we make conscious efforts to stop this evil against God’s creatures.
“It is a shame that some leaders that should be in the fore of this fight are themselves guilty of crimes and violence against women. So I wonder what we expect the government to do when they fail in their duties and responsibilities to God and his people.”
She urged the country to take a cue from countries in Europe and the Americas that have erected structures to secure women against crime and violence, noting that women should not be mere toys in the hands of men.
“I would humbly suggest that we borrow a leaf from countries like America, Britain, among others that have raised structures to accommodate, recognise and appreciate women, community development and social services initiatives. Here in Nigeria, it seems we women are only useful during political campaigns when our future is sold and bought for morsels of bread. Yet we don’t seem to learn from our past mistakes.”
In the face of perceived aggression against women, she urged them to wake up. “Women awake!” she charged. “Take the laws of God in your hands for it is favourable to us. Change will not happen in this nation until we arise; no one can understand our plight than we ourselves. As such, no one can give our plight the attention it deserves than we ourselves.
We have been cast aside and torn apart for too long and it is time we woke up and put our acts together to fight the challenges that confront us. We must not allow religion, political parties and selfish interests to continue to tear us apart. For change to happen we must come together to make it happen bearing in mind that the system is not structured in our favour. This is the main reason Mothers of the Nation is creating platforms on which we can relate at all levels as women and mothers.”
She praised many civil society organisations that were working tirelessly to stop evil against women and prayed God to strengthen and uphold them till the end.
“Today, we recognise the works of women who have been silently but powerfully touching the lives of other women and children in their different ways. These are women, who have gone out of their ways to support fellow women in distress with little or no help coming from anyone. To these women, we say your labour of love shall not be in vain.” She, therefore, called on all women to join hands so that, together with the fear of God, change would take place.
While presenting awards to some women for their stance against crime against women, Mrs. Bisi Aregbesola Akintelure of Save the Children, Lagos, said it was time government addressed the issue.
She pointed out that women and children were the most vulnerable in the society and prayed government and lawmakers to rise to the occasion.
Others who spoke at the occasion included Evang. Mrs. Praise Ify Success, Women Coordinator, Apapa and Surulere province of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and Deaconess Elizabeth Kola-Ogunlade J.P, the Iya Oja, Bola Tinubu Model Market, Gowon Estate. They all expressed very strong opinions on the issues confronting women and urged all women to focus on how to move the country forward irrespective of their religious backgrounds.