NOA, UNICEF DIALOGUE ON ENLISTING THE SUPPORT OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS (EVAWG)
A one-day dialogue session on enlisting the support of Religious Leaders in ending violence against women and the girl child was held on Friday the 16th Of April, 2021 at the Palace of Baale Lambo Lasunwon Okegbegun in Ikorodu North of Lagos State. The event organized by National Orientation Agency (NOA) Lagos Directorate in partnership with United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF), had in attendance a cross section of religious leaders to dialogue on the ways to end violence against women and girls.
Welcoming the participants, the Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA) Lagos Directorate, Mr. Waheed Ishola, commended the people for being prompt and early despite the Ramadan, he said, it shows how important they see the programme and their eagerness to contribute to the solution. As a privileged community, he urged them to make maximum use of the opportunity by participating effectively in the dialogues and proffer useful suggestions on ways to ending violence against women and girls. The Director noted that Lambo Lasunwon Okegbegun community is the fourth in the on-going community dialogue session on violence against women and the girl across the Ikorodu division of Lagos State because it is a problem that affects all and sundry, hence he urged the religious leaders to share ideas on how it was in the holy books and to relate same to parenting.
In sharing an experience, the representative of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lambo Lasunwon, Ikorodu, Pastor Kemi Hussain said that people should always emulate the life of great men of God in the Bible and live within the injection given by Christ Jesus. There should be absolute trust, patience, tolerance and love among couples which would transcend down to the children. Pastor Funmilayo Korede on his part said that constant preaching and continuous emphasis on such evil and wicked acts in the church would be a way to stop violence against women and girls. While Mrs. Tobun Folashade suggested that pre-wedding counselling should be re-introduced in churches and religious oragnisations were intending couples would be well groomed on issues of marriage. The situation were young boys and girls rush into marriages on the mere fact of “worldly affairs” should be discouraged because it is the root cause of most broken homes.
In his remarks, the Chief Imam, Orija Okegbegun Lambo Lasunwon, Alhaji Idris Afolabi blamed it all on mothers in child upbringing in the home. He said most women had relegated their responsibilities to untrained care-givers who have little or nothing to teach the children. He said that once the child had lost it in infancy, it is difficult to repair. As religious leaders with large followers, he noted that they would continue to sermon and preach the evils associated with violence against women and girl child because the holy book condemns it. Speaking on the same line, Mrs. Monsurat Muyideen suggested that the way religious leaders try to settle disputes among couples should be more civil and with love. Not to condemn one even before hearing the other.
Earlier in his welcome remarks the representative of the Baale, Olotu Matthew Shodipo called for patience and tolerance. He asked the women to take it up as a matter of duty to care for their children and homes. He thanked the organizers for bringing the programme to his community and commended the participants for coming out in good numbers. He urged parents to make sure that their children’s marriages are properly contracted with at least three years courtship of understanding instead of the marriages witnessed these days. Violence in homes and against women and girl children has its roots in the first meeting of a man and women he said.
Other speakers at the event were: The CDC chairman, Ikorodu North, Mr. Niran Ogunbanwo; Chief (Mrs.) Sikirat Falujo; Comrade Ganiyu Olawale, Coordinator, NYCN Ikorodu North and Ms. Temitope Fasuyi, Member Child Protection Network amongst others
About Author
