END ASSAULT ON AFRICAN WOMANHOOD

Nigerians should desist from further stripping women naked on the streets over frivolous allegations which can be resolved through civil processes and systems associated with the Rule of Law. The stripping of women naked on the streets is jungle justice that debases womanhood and represents a symptom of the breakdown of our traditional and cultural institutions. It is a shameful thing to see full grown men who should protect the natural dignity and respect for womanhood batter and make nonsense of that same natural endowment known to nurture us to manhood. What we are experiencing with this trend actually exposes us as a primitive people living in a millennium trying very hard to achieve Global Goals of Gender equality and reduced inequalities under peaceful and strong institutions.

A fortnight ago, a viral video revealed about six men in Benin City who had stripped a young lady naked on the suspicion that she stole a phone. However, if stripping her naked was not enough, the less than gentlemen went further to insert very harmful substances in her private parts. After that incident, and less than a week after, another video surfaced showing an aide to the Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa hurling blows on a defenseless woman after he stripped her naked, tied her up and made her roll in a muddy pool. CERLSI commends the Nigeria Police and the Delta State governor for moving quickly to arrest and sacking those who committed those barbaric and inhumane acts in Benin City and Delta State. ‘As we become assured that the wheel of justice which have been set in motion will roll and deal with the perpetrators of these crimes against womanhood in Nigeria, we are persuaded that more still needs to be done. We must work hard to ensure that our people will begin to have confidence in our systems if highly placed public officials set the example by obeying court orders, respecting our institutions and working hard to strengthen them. We must take a stand against practices which encourage disrespect for womanhood. Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku, CERLSI, Benin City