Ekiti State’s First Lady, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, has urged political, traditional, and religious leaders, as well as civil society organisations, to step up efforts to protect girls from female genital mutilation (FGM) and secure their future.
Dr. Oyebanji spoke on Thursday in Ado Ekiti during a media engagement held to mark the 2026 International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, observed annually on February 6. The year’s theme — “2030: No end to FGM without sustained commitment and investment” — highlights the need for continuous collective effort to eliminate the harmful practice.
Ekiti State is known to have one of the highest FGM prevalence rates in Nigeria, particularly in the Southwest region, despite laws prohibiting the practice. The state’s legal framework, including the Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, 2019, imposes significant penalties on anyone who carries out or facilitates FGM.
Dr. Oyebanji stressed that the theme of the 2026 commemoration signalled that previous efforts have not gone far enough. She appealed for deeper, sustained action, saying laws forbidding FGM must be fully enforced and cultural conversations must shift from silent tolerance to open rejection.
Speaking as a mother, educator, and founder of the Widows, Aged, Orphans Hope Support Foundation, she said her office’s Gender Unit will work to ensure that every case is reported and that offenders face prosecution under existing state laws. She also pledged that survivors would receive not just legal support but compassionate care.
“We must translate commitment into action,” she said, urging communities to rid Ekiti of the practice and set an example for the rest of Nigeria. She added that advocacy will be intensified in schools and other institutions to protect girls and align with Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s human capital development goals.
A representative of civil society, Mrs. Abimbola Aladejare-Salako, noted that while many communities have publicly declared a ban on FGM, resistance still exists in some areas. She emphasised that the Ekiti State House of Assembly has enacted laws against FGM and urged authorities to ensure offenders are held accountable under the law.
The event was attended by state officials including the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Peju Babafemi; the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oyebanji Filani (represented by Mrs. Sola Gbenga-Igotun); and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Olusola Adeluyi-Femi.