The wife of the Ogun state governor, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, Monday solicited the support of government at all levels to matters concerning rape and gender based violence.
Mrs. Abiodun made this call during a peaceful and awareness walk to the Executive and the Legislative arms of the state to solicit support for action against gender based violence and rape in the state.
She decried the gruesome rape and killings of Tina Ezekwe, Uwavera Omozua, Barakat Bello and Jennifer that occurred recently , stating that such crimes had been on the rise in Nigeria.
She disclosed that governor Dapo Abiodun recently inaugurated a committee that would ensure the development of a coordinated response to cases of sexual and gender based violence in the state.
Mrs. Abiodun emphasised her readiness and commitment to ensuring that victims of the rape and gender violence were not stigmatised or discriminated against in the society.
Her words, “We need to do more and ensure our survivors are not stigmatised; justice served; and the emotional and mental well-being of survivors is prioritised. I also humbly request that we continue to involve men in national conversation on violence against women; to men already supporting this cause, thank you for speaking up.”
She also stressed the need to educate and sensitise young boys and men who according to her were the perpetrators of the acts, to be protectors instead of being perpetrators.
“You are our fathers, our brothers and sons. Yet most of the violent sexual crimes committed against women are being perpetrated by boys and men. We need to educate our young boys and encourage them to be protectors and not perpetrators,” Mrs. Abiodun said.
In his response, the governor Abiodun commended the first lady and her team on the initiative and for being a voice to women folk who according to him formed about 50 percent of the world population.
The governor reiterated his commitment to ensuring that cases which bordered on women and girl child violence were expedited to bring the offenders to book assuring that men in the Executive would lend their voices to the campaign and give women and girl child equal opportunities as well as empower them economically.
Earlier in his own response, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kunle Oluomo commended the First Lady and her team for their concern for the women folk and promised on behalf of the legislature to give accelerated hearing and passage to any bill that affects women and children in the state.
