Father Dies Over Failure To Release Children For Circumcision

By Our Correspondent

For refusing to submit to the age-long cultural practices of Female Genital Mutilation also known as Circumcision, a middle age woman, Mrs Mariam Adeniyi, has been given 21 days ultimatum to present her two daughters for circumcision.

The mother of two and her husband Adeolu Adeniyi were threatened with death or total banishment if they disobey the elders and community leaders to carry out the age-long tradition of circumcision on her two daughters

Our Correspondent gathered that the family has been having a running battle with the elders in the community and some of their extended family members for refusing to submit her daughters for the circumcision.

 It was gathered that Mr and Mrs Adeolu Adeniyi ordeal started after giving birth to their twins and the family approached them during a family function to remind the wife of the cultural practices.

According to a source, the tradition stipulates that a female child must be circumcised and failure to obey may lead to doom or death.

Our source said the mother tactically told the  family elders that the young girls,  Taiwo Abolore Adeniyi and Kehinde Olubukola Adeniyi, needed to be given more time before the twins could be circumcised 

She ” promised to perform the rite soon , but later, she started given them series of excuses to the elders and community leaders to prevent her daughters from being circumcised.

“But they summoned her to a meeting where they instructed her to prepare the two daughters for circumcision.

Worried with the dangers and risks associated with female genital mutilation backing their knowledge with statistics and journals and for the sake of the safety of their children, it was gathered that the couple had to escape to the Eastern part of the Country 

It was gathered that Adeolu Adeniyi family gave the couple 21 days to bring their children for circumcision but they refused and later relocated his family to Enugu, in the Eastern part of Nigeria.

"The 21 days ultimatum lapsed , the family of Adeniyi were able to trace Adeniyi and wife to Enugu due to their occultic connections and affluence.

While trying to forcefully take the twins from them, it resulted into the death of the husband as it was gathered that he was hit with an object during the face of.

"So due to the affluence of the family and the occultic connection of some members of her husband extended family, they were able to fish her out in Enugu. 

The twins were taken away for the circumcision, but unfortunately, the husband, Mr Adeniyi Adeolu lost his life to the attack.

According to the source, some of her husband family has connection with a sitting Governor in Nigeria.

Circumcision otherwise known as Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria accounts for the most female genital cutting/mutilation (FGM/C) cases worldwide.

The practice is considered harmful to girls and women and a violation of human rights.

Female Genital Mutilation causes infertility, maternal death, infections, and the loss of sexual pleasure.

Nationally, 27% of Nigerian women between the ages of 15 and 49 are victims of FGM.

The prevalence of the practice has continue to increase in Nigeria and some countries in Africa