The Nigerian Feminist Forum (NFF) has condemned the “barbaric debasement of womanhood” by some persons in Aguleri, Anambra State community when they paraded a widow, Mrs Aguese Obiora, naked for alleged infidelity and killing of her husband.
NFF in a statement signed by its Communications Officer, Angela Nkwo, on Monday said the action of the Obiora family and Aguleri people by terrible chauvinists and patriarchists debased over 100 million Nigerian women and humanity.
The group called on the Anambra State Commissioner of Police and the Inspector-General of Police to fish out all the perpetrators of what it described as inhuman debasement of Ajuese and their prosecution.
The group also demanded a public apology from the widow’s in-laws, the Obiora family and the Aguleri community, to be published in national newspapers.
Further, the feminist group called on the Igwe of Aguleri community to ostracize all the perpetrators of the inhuman abuse of Ajuese to serve as a deterrent to others against such dastardly act.
The NFF said “terrible chauvinists and patriarchists in Aguleri community, Anambra East local government council paraded naked a Nigerian woman, Mrs Ajuese Obiora, for alleged adultery and in the process insulted over 100 million Nigerian women and singlehandedly debased womanhood and humanity.
“It is sickening and embarrassing that the perpetrators of that violence, exhibited crass ignorance, primitiveness, wickedness, selfishness, and debasement”.
Further, the group noted that section 17 of the Anambra state Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law already stipulated the criminalization of “obscene widowhood practices, humiliating, emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse of women especially childless widows”, adding that the Obiora family and Aguleri community must face the music.
Also, the group queried the reason of the public debasement of Ajuese especially when it was not enshrined or practiced anywhere in Aguleri community and Anambra state as a whole.
According to the NFF, Ajuese’s offence was her inability to birth any child as a successful businesswoman married to the late Okeosisi Aguleri during the nine-year marital bliss devoid of accusations, rancor and or violence, saying the culprits must face the music.
NFF said that “stripping a widow naked under any guise depicts mental illness, malice, hatred which reveals the community’s disrespect for mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives which calls for reorientation”, and that the forceful collection of her phones, ATM cards and pins was shameful.
The group expressed worries over the psychological, mental, and financial state of Ajuese who Aguleri people and her in-laws had subjected to systemic trauma which if not addressed may result in severe consequences.
The NFF called on the Anambra State judiciary to ensure speedy dispensation of justice to Ajuese and Nigerian women on the gross violation of their rights by Aguleri people.
Further, the group called on the State Governor-elect, Prof Charles Soludo and his wife, Mrs Nonye to ensure Ajuese receives “adequate support to address her mental, psychological, financial, and complete wellbeing to prevent her from suicidal thoughts and further harm from entrenched patriarchists in Aguleri community”.
The NFF noted that before the shameful debasement of Aguese, Aguleri community was considered the largest town in Anambra North local government council, which was noted for her rich history and establishment of different kingdoms across Nigeria but now rubbished by the shameful debasement of womanhood.
The Nigerian Feminist Forum which is a biennial public policy forum that brings together self-identifying feminists, dedicated to gender equality, expressed its deep concerns over the systemic and repeated abuse of women’s rights across Nigeria and the gross perpetration of gender violence by patriarchists and demanded an end to the malady.
