Still on Ochanya Ogbaje saga
Once again, the ugly reality of the dreadful subject of rape in our society has been brought into the fore as, Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbaje, a 13-year-old girl who was raped by a lecturer and his son in Benue State, recently passed away. The young girl reportedly fought with Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) and other related medical problems at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, before her sad demise. Autopsy report affirmed the cause of her death to be sexual molestation of a minor.
According to reports, Mr. Andrew Ogbuja, the 51-year-old lecturer at the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, Benue State, and his son, Victor Inalegwu Ogbuja, a final year student of Animal Production at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, had consistently molested and raped little Ochanya since she was 8 years old.
Ochanya was living with the family as a result of her relationship to Mrs. Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja, the lecturer’s wife who is her cousin, before she was turned to an object of sexual pleasure for both father and son. Reports had it that, though the girl usually take ill, it was really hard for the hospitals in Ugbokolo to discover precisely what was wrong with her, even when she sometimes collapses.
However, after severe grilling, the deceased disclosed how she has been sexually abused by the sexual predators but could not confide in anyone because she was threatened with death by the murderous duo if she ever tells anyone about their evil escapades. The poor girl further revealed that she was often drugged by the twosome, which often made her to be very unconscious of their dastardly act.
Presently, Andrew Ogbuja had allegedly jumped bail and is currently at large. Angered by the repulsive and disgusting event, Nigerians are demanding for justice for the late girl. Lots of concerned people are particularly irked that the Police have not arrested the lecturer and his son since the death of Ochanya.
As a result of the lack of concern about rape, precise and reliable statistics concerning rape are not available. Rape, has also remained an under-reported crime. This is due basically to insensitive and sometimes hostile treatment by law enforcement personnel. Health centers are another culprit in double or more correctly jeopardy rape victims are suffering in this clime. Dramatic changes have to take place in public attitudes toward rape if we are ready to stem the tide.
The heinous crime represents a slap on our collective sensibility and as such it must be frontally addressed. It is, therefore, essential that all stakeholders work together to make sure that rape does not have a stronghold in our society. Hence, it has now become urgent to amend our laws for rapists to contend with more profound penalty. Rape is too monstrous a crime to be treated with levity. All hand must, thus, be on deck to tackle it!
Tayo Ogunbiyi, Lagos