The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, has expressed the determination and commitment of the current administration in the state to ensure the total eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
The Ekiti First Lady declared that the urgent endeavour to tackle the menace stands on the firm foundation of the Human Capital Development Pillar of the administration of her husband, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, ” where human beings are his most prized assets, including women.”
Dr Oyebanji spoke on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti during an engagement with journalists on the 2026 International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, with the theme: “2030: No End to Female Genital Mutilation Without Sustained Commitment and Investment.”
The First Lady, in her address titled “A Solemn Call To Action: Ending FGM, Protecting Our Daughters”, expressed a deep concern over the data from respected bodies like UNFPA that called for more serious actions.
She lamented the prevalence of the FGM to obsolete norm, saying, “many people still view FGM as a cultural practice rather than recognising its harmful effects
“Ekiti state, our beloved Fountain of Knowledge, is sadly ranked among the very top in Nigeria, and leading in the South West, for the prevalence of this practice”
Oyebanji, who described this year’s theme as a wake-up call for more actions on the protection of the girl child, said the theme is” a stark mirror held to our reality. It tells us that past efforts, however well-intentioned, have been insufficient.
“The persistence of this violence, hidden in our communities, is a Clarion call for a unified action from every single one of us”.
She therefore appealed to stakeholders in the state, such as political, traditional and religious leaders, as well as advocacy groups, on concerted efforts and collective actions toward securing the future of the female child by protecting them from Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Dr Oyebanji howeve,r commended the state government’s efforts in reducing the prevalence of FGM from 72 per cent to 48 per cent, while calling on law enforcement agencies to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted to serve as a deterrent
She pledged the continued support of her office and initiatives toward achieving zero tolerance.
“I recommit the full force of my office and initiatives to this singular, vital mission of eradicating FGM from Ekiti State. This remains our paramount focus.
“My Gender unit will continue to be a fortress of justice, ensuring no case goes unreported, no perpetrator goes unprosecuted under our domesticated laws, and every survivor receives not just legal aid, but compassionate support. As an Educator, I will intensify my campaign against FGM in schools and institutions ”
Representative of the Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Mrs Abimbola Aladejare-Salako, disclosed that the state has adopted a Community-Led Approach, through which over one hundred communities have publicly declared a total ban on FGM, noting that while the majority have embraced the initiative, about 10 per cent are still adamant
Aladejare-Salako, however, expressed confidence in the law promulgated in this regard in the state to prosecute culprits.
She said, “In 2002 Ekiti State House of Assembly enacted a law on Female Genital Mutilation. Perpetrators would be made to face the full wrath of law. Civil society groups would continue working with stakeholders in Ekiti state to end the practice”.
The event was attended by key government officials, including the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Peju Babafemi; the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, represented by Mrs. Sola Gbenga-Ikotun, among others.
