Kingsley Nwezeh And Omon Julius Onabu
12 September 2005
Benin — Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Mariam Ciroma, yesterday faced the first major test in her month-long advocacy campaign on women/children's rights as she was drilled for more than 30 minuites on the propriety or otherwise of the campaign against female circumcision and children's rights.
This was coming on the heels of a call by Governor Lucky Igbeniedion of Edo State on the need for a statistical data on women and children to channel appriopriate resources for the welfare of the two segments of society.
The minister, as part of her campaign, has continued to emphasise that the Child's Rights Act was not designed to prevent parents from applying disciplinary measures against erring children or an attempt to erode the people's cultural patterns and religious beliefs, but an attempt to prevent harmful traditional practices against women and children as well as highlight the need for the political participation of women.
Payina a courtesy visit to Oba of Benin, Oba Omonoba Erediawa (Akpolokplo (II), the minister was innundated with questions on her campaign.
Commenting on the issue, one of the chiefs said "a law made for a section of the country (Child's Rights Act) is unconstitutional. It is difficult to make laws you cannot implement. The police have been there but armed robbers have been on the rampage. Education is the only thing that that can solve that problem (female circumcision, child abuse). If I want to circumcise my daughter, nobody will stop me and if I do not want to do so, it is my business."
The following question and answer session between the minister and the chiefs ensued:
Chief: If a child is not circumcised, will it not promote promiscuity?
Minister: Promiscuity will still go on even with circumcision if such a person is inclined to promiscuity. Circumscition leads to scares vestico varginal fistula (vvf) and affect the bladder and when that part is cut off, the man and woman will not enjoy the purpose for which it was made and what God has planned.
The commissioner for Women Affairs in the State, Mrs. Ermrah Irabor, agreed that "promiscuity is a state of the mind. Let us have fun if we want to do so and not punish ourselves in the name of circumcision."
Chief: Why female circumcision, why not male circumcision?
Minister: Because I am the women affairs minister and I need to protect the rights of women.
Chief: Why do we always copy developed countries in everything we do?
Minister: We the third world countries copy from the developed countries but intrinsically, we know that these practices are harmful and try to advocate against it.
Oba of Benin: Are you objecting to me whipping my child when he goes wrong or me sending my child to go and sell something after school hours?
Minister: No.
The Benin Mornarch further affirmed that it was the World Health Organisation (WHO)" that are introducing all these things to us. Sometime in the past they(WHO) were talking about genital mutilation and we all followed them, now we are talking about female circumcision and we are still following"
Oba: How did you become so knowleageable in these matters just within 3 months of your appointment?
Women Commisioner: Because she is a dynamic woman.
The Benin monarch: "I will not have much to say if it is on circumcision but I would have said something if it is genital mutilation. I also know that even in the bible, there is circumcision for the male and female child", he said.
Earlier at the governor's office, he called for statistical data for women and children in view of the up coming census exercise in order for governments to be able to allocate apprpropriate resources to the two segments of the society.
He also appealed to the minister to include in her campaign cultural reorientation as most children are finding it difficult to speak their dialects.
A the state assembly, the speaker Honourable David Iyoha promised that the house would pass gender and children's sensitive laws in addition to other favourable laws already passed.
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