NOA Rallies Other Stakeholders To Deliberate On Violence Against Women

With the incidences of violence against women and girl child abuses as a fallout of the Coronavirus pandemic and lockdown. The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with UNICEF on Thursday the 22nd of April, 2021 held a Community Dialogue session on: Enlisting the support of Religious Leaders in Eding violence against women and girls at No. 69 Jebba Street, Osholake, Yaba, Lagos State.
Declaring the session open, the Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lagos Directorate, Mr. Waheed Ishola said that the main purpose of the dialogue was to directly hear from the people why there are so much physical abuse against women and girl children within the community. And also, to enlist the support of religious leaders in ending the menace. He urged participants to freely express their mind, share their experiences and proffer possible solutions to help curb the evil deeds. When you see something, you say something and do something he said.
On his part, the representative of the Baale, Oko-Baba Agoro, Chief Nojim Bankole commended NOA and UNICEF for bringing the dialogue session to his community at the right time. He said its an eye opener to them because it’s the first time they would be hearing that the world is interested in stopping violence against women and girls and that there are government organs working for the protection of the victims. He appealed to participants to part particular attention to discussions and partake actively were necessary.
In his remarks, the Chief Imam, Okobaba Central Mosque, Imam Abdulazeez Isa stressed that education of the girl child is very important. With an educated and informed girl child, it would be difficult to take advantage of her. He however blamed it all on mothers in child upbringing. 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. Sharing an experience, Mrs. Nkemdi Obi, an educationist said that she was almost molested and kidnapped at age 4yrs, but for God’s providence. She said parents need to have good communication contacts with their children so as to build their self-confidence. Most children have dysfunctional homes with lack of emotional bond.
Other speakers at the event were: CPN Lagos State Secretary, Mr. Rasheed Awofeso; Prophetess Nike George, Community Leader; CAN Mainland representative, Pastor (Prince) Olusoji Shofu; Community Leader, Oko-baba Aiyetoro, Chief Famakinwa Peter; Representative of persons with Disability, Comrade Kehinde Oshilaja amongst others.