Nigeria@60: Female Lawyers, Delta CSOs Mourn, Kick Against Killings, Violence Against Women, Rape

The International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA in partnership with Civil Society Organizations, CSOs at a peaceful rally in Warri, Delta State today mourned as Nigeria celebrated her sixtieth independence anniversary.

The female lawyers and the CSO’s who were clad in black attires expressed their anger over every bloodshed and inhumanity, all forms of violence against women and children including human right violations which had existed since independence till date.

They also kicked against all forms of maltreatment, child labour, abuses, slavery, child molestation, defilement and abuse, female genital mutilations/circumsicion.

The female lawyers and CSOs also beard placards with inscriptions such as,”humanity is precious to God”, “Don’t keep silent”, “My nakedness is not for the public”, “Rape is never the fault of the victim” as well as, “Stop domestic violence.”

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They marched through Mabiaku to Link road to Ajamimogha, Okere market, Estate roundabout and Total filling station by Airport road in Warri.

Initiator of the rally, Rachael Misan-Ruppie noted that they are raped, defiled and molested on a daily basis.

Misan-Ruppie who is also the Executive Director, Development Initiative for Community Impact added that there are inhuman treatments from employees to their employers at the work place.

According to her Misan-Ruppie who is also the State Focal Person of Women in Peace building Network, WIPNET said: “There are high level domestics violence and all forms of violations against women and girls.

Co-convener of the rally, Pastor Edewor Egedegbe in a chat with newsmen also kicked against all forms of violence against humanity.

He said they came for the rally on independence day to say, “Enough of bloodshed. Enough of rape. Enough of kidnappings. Enough of dehumanizing humanity.

“Every rights contained in Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, must be upheld. The right to dignity, right to freedom of association. Right to express your opinion. All these rights we are calling for, that they must be exercised by all and sundry.

“No to all forms of dehumanization of the human race. We are saying, an end has come and we are calling all to join forces to say that today we say an end has come to man’s inhumanity to man. No more crying in our land. No more unnecessary maltreating of the human race any longer.

“That’s why we are putting on black to express our anger over every inhumanity till date. But after now, we will be putting on our white apparell to celebrate the newness of Nigeria, the post 60th Anniversary.”

The President of the Nigerian Child Welfare Fund, Comrade Joshua Omorere whose organization enforces and protect the rights of children said, “We came to tell the world that we are against every child abuses, violations against the rights of children, mostly domestic violence.”

He warned that house helps should not be treated as slaves by their bosses, stressing, “if you cannot take care of them like your children, take them back to their parents.”

Omorere noted that there have been several cases where children have been inflicted with bodily injuries.

“We are strongly against rape. A complete man does not rape a woman. Any man that rapes, is not a complete man. Any child below 18yrs that you sleep with, is rape. Whether the child gives you consent or not. No child below 18years has the right to give consensual issues. So, we are against every form of child abuses and we say no to dehumanization.”

Others who also spoke their minds on the matter appealed to parents and guardians to also guard/protect their children jealously from falling prey to the predators.