Ekiti State First Lady Dr Olayemi Oyebanji has expressed concerns at the high rate of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the state, restating that the state government is committed to its fight to nip the menace in the bud to have a sane society.
The Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Olubunmi Adelugba, similarly lamented the rise in Gender-Based Violence cases, insisting that the epidemic of rape and other forms of sexual offences must end to make Ekiti safe for women, girl children and other vulnerable citizens of the state so that their rights will not be violated.
In their separate submissions at a special plenary session held by the Assembly as part of activities marking the 16 days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the governor’s wife who warned perpetrators to desist from the act noted that the state government will not relent in its efforts to curb the menace.
Mrs Oyebanji who said that though women and girl children are common victims of Gender-Based Violence noted that men and boys are also victims of GBV, saying the fight against the menace needs a collaborative effort, hence the need for the people of the state to join in the battle.
The Speaker who regretted that despite the robust legislative and policy interventions, sexual and domestic violence appear to be on the increase in communities across the state, called on traditional rulers, security agencies, judiciary, media and other stakeholders to join in the fight to reduce Gender-Based Violence in the state, advocating for more vigorous and effective prosecution of sex offenders and others violators of GBV to reduce the epidemic in the state.
Adelugba said, “I want to state at this juncture that more still needs to be done in the effective prosecution of sex offenders in Ekiti State and the task is a collaborative one among individuals, communities, civil society organisations and stakeholders in the criminal justice system.
“I want to remind all and sundry that Gender-Based Violence represents a crime against individuals, society and humanity. We must all join hands together to stop it; we must all rise and work together to fight and end the rape epidemic in Ekiti State.
“Our collective response to the scourge of Gender-Based Violence must be proactive and efficient to end the culture of impunity and foster a culture of justice and deterrence.
“I want to enlist the support of our traditional rulers, community leaders, the media, civil society organisations and other stakeholders for more public enlightenment and awareness on Gender-Based Violence laws in the grassroots to win this battle. This is a battle that is surmountable; with our collective resolve and determination, it is achievable.”
In his paper presentation on: “Reflections on Strategies for Responding to GBV in Ekiti State: What have we done? What next?”, former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Mr Olawale Fapohunda spoke of the need for an immediate evaluation of the adequacy of laws and administrative interventions.
He noted that as part of ways to ensure that the rising cases of rape and other sexual offences were reduced in the state, this informed the implementation of the Name and Shame policy against sex offenders and the opening of the Sexual Offenders Register.
Fapohunda added that “the state needs the wife of the governor to host a roundtable of all stakeholders to review all that has been done and agree on a 2-year plan of action.”
The Senior Advocate pointed out that gender-based violence and rape offenders include the learned and the unlearned, highly placed individuals, lowly individuals, clergymen, lecturers, teachers, and civil servants, among others.
He noted that women in public service are also not spared saying some of them also suffer serious domestic violence in their homes. He said these women do not report these cases because of the fear of being labelled among public servants, calling on members to be on the protective side so that sufferers would be accorded the needed help.
The former Attorney General noted that Ekiti State has the most progressive laws on GBV in Nigeria applauding the roles played by the immediate past administration of Dr Kayode Fayemi which has also continued in the new administration of Mr Biodun Oyebanji.
On her part, Hon Justice Toyin Abodunde, judge of the High Court of Ekiti State, who spoke on the roles of the judiciary in Gender-Based Violence, urged clients to bring qualitative evidence to the court in order for GBV cases not to be thrown out on the grounds of technicalities.
Justice Abodunde added that there is a need to have judges who are gender-friendly and water-tight laws to protect victims.
The event was attended by stakeholders from the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Education, lawmakers of Ekiti State House of Assembly, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ministry of Health, the Judiciary, the Nigerian Bar Association and Civil Society Organisations.
