The people of Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti South West Local Government Area of Ekiti State, on Friday officially renounced the practice of Female Genital Mutilation.
Oba Adebanji Alabi, the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, who is also the Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, described the act as unlawful and promised that the community would no longer be involved in the act.
Alabi spoke in Ilawe-Ekiti, during an event, organised by the state chapter of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), in conjunction with United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) on FGM elimination.
He said “I want to declare today, on behalf of my people, that we will no longer be involved in the act of Female Genital Mutilation, because it is highly despicable and unlawful.. Henceforth, it is now a taboo for anyone to do it to our kids. I am surprised that at this age people are still into this act that has sent many of our children to early grave; and even those that survived it, are left impotent.’’