Recent discourse on domestic violence, kidnapping, and climate change came to the fore. For domestic violence, stakeholders have suggested ways and measures aimed at ridding Nigeria of domestic violence. They have called on victims of such dastardly acts to speak up for them to be protected rather than keeping the burden to themselves alone. The contributors said victims of domestic violence should learn to approach any institution that is saddled with the responsibility of protecting human rights to narrate their ordeal or experience. A legal practitioner, Barr. Adefisayo Ajayi said the government should put adequate measures in place that would adequately reduce the scourge of domestic violence in the country. He said the 1999 Constitution provides rights for every victim that had been abused, stressing that domestic violence had to do with the intention on the part of culprits.
The lawyer added that there are various forms of domestic violence, which include physical, economic, and social, among others, adding that the causes of domestic violence were numerous and they largely affect women in society. Meanwhile, Mrs. Ovietu Adeleke of the Child Protection Network, Ogun State said some of the reasons for domestic violence was traceable to bad temperance, lack of sexual orientation, and poor education, stressing that there should be a lot of pre-marital counselling and family education for young people before going into marriage. She urged the government to do more to curb the menace of domestic violence and charged couples to live in harmony because of their children. Mrs. Adeleke called on parents to go back to the basics and take up their responsibilities by nurturing the children they would be proud of in life.
Meanwhile, law enforcement agents have called on law enforcement agencies to, as a matter of urgency, ensure full implementation of all laws to reduce kidnapping and other crimes to the barest minimum in the country. They said there are solid laws in place that provide adequate punishments for suspected kidnappers in Nigeria, but enforcement had always been the problem. A legal practitioner, Barr. Charles Alli noted that there are times that laws are impotent and as such, may contribute to an increase in crime level in society, stressing that kidnappings should be tackled from the source rather than allowing victims to pay a ransom.
Barr. Alli added that life imprisonment and death penalty were some of the laws proposed by the government to tackle kidnappings in the country, as he urged the relevant stakeholders to join hands with the government by rising to the occasion in ending the menace of kidnapping and ensuring that the right things were done on time. In the same vein, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Harmony-FUNAAB Division, Mr. Ademola Ijiehin, urged Nigerians to endeavour to offer and give accurate information to security agencies whenever they noticed any strange acts in their environment since security is everybody’s business. The DPO, while revealing some of the factors that could contribute to kidnapping, said laziness, lack of contentment, lavish lifestyles, and unnecessary competition among youth are the reasons why people go into kidnapping. The police officer further charged Nigerians to be security-conscious and vigilant, adding that people should desist from giving false information, shun unnecessary friends, avoid walking alone, and be careful with those they associate themselves with.
Meanwhile, experts have called for urgent measures by the government and the populace towards tackling the danger posed by climate change. Led by Prof. Iyabode Kehinde, those on the team include Prof. Gabriel Dedeke, Dr. Oludotun Adelusi, and Dr. Ariom Obaji, all from FUNAAB. The Dons warned that if urgent steps were not taken to reverse the trend, it may spell doom for the nation and the world at large. Kehinde, a Professor of Plant Pathology maintained that there is a need for the government and Nigerians to begin to pay more attention to this problem. She added that “Government should take a second look at policies that affect environmental issues and there is a need for them to engage in review as often as possible”. On his part, Dedeke, a Professor of Animal Eco-Physiology disclosed that heatwaves were enough clues to show that there is an increase in climatic heat following delays in recent rainfall in the country.
He added that the issue of flooding being experienced in different parts of the country remained a pointer to this unpleasant trend. According to him, “We must all come together and seek ways by ensuring that we go green in our community. People should learn to grow little gardens in their compound and environments”. The above discourse came alive on the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State radio station, FUNAAB Radio 89.5FM live interactive programme, Boiling Point. What is the main gist out of the discourse is that the issues of domestic violence, kidnappings, and climate change problems are largely man-made. Therefore, a combination of attitudinal adjustments and discipline and needed to be carried out without leaving out the roles of the state and non-governmental interventions in the country.
