By Ado Adeboye
For some time now, Nigeria has been plagued like many
countries in the world by the novel Corona Virus and its attendant global
fatality. The pandemic has not only infused
morbid fear into many minds with increasing death toll, and ruinous
economic recession caused by anti COVID-19 protocols of 'Stay at Home or total
lockdown'.
Without a potent vaccine, the end to the pandemic is not in
sight. Thus leaving every country helpless in the battle for existential
survival.
Cruelly, our beleaguered country is also battling some under
current menace of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, lassa fever and, worse
still, rape!
The prevalence of rape in the society is almost as old as
human history. But of recent, many criminals have been subjecting their victims
to varied forms of non consenting conjugal experience. Thus, leaving some
victims scarred for life, or others' lives cut down prematurely. Many cases go
unnoticed and outside the radar of the law. No person or place is sacred
anymore. Infants as well as the aged are routinely violated. Family members
engage in incestuous rape, and running to the sanctuary of a church no longer
guarantees safety from the daredevil assailants. Of recent, a University of
Benin undergraduate was gang raped to death close to the altar of a church,
which could not redeem the life of the young lady.
The case of the raped
and murder of University of Benin fresher, late Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, was a
bitter pill to swallow by mankind. Where is our common identity as reasonable
beings? And where's our milk of human kindness?
The victim lost everything that mattered to her: dreams,
dignity and decency.
The sad tale of bestiality continued a few days after
Omojuwa's horrific murder. This time around, Ekiti State became the next house
of horror. A teenager hawking sachet water as a means of sustenance was raped
by street urchins.
The 17-year-old victim was said to be hawking sachet water
when the boys, who were regular faces in the area, pinned her down in a dark
corner and gang raped her!
The teenager was taken to the hospital where a clear case of
rape was established.
This un-abating litany of man's inhumanity to man in
Nigeria, also snuffed life out of another female student in the ancient city of
Ibadan, late Miss Bello Mubarak. Her sexual assailants were said to have
murdered her in cold blood, by dastardly stabbing the helpless Muslim
undergraduate.
Rape and gender based assaults are not limited to any part
of the country. In North Central Zone, a man simply identified as Simon Emeka
in Benue State was accused of raping his 7-month-old daughter, Prosper Emeka.
What an evil act?
The infamous and unsuccessful rape case brought against
Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of Coza Ministry
by Busola Dakola, wife of a celebrity singer, Timi Dakolo, remains evergreen in the history of
unresolved sexual harassment in our courts.
The reason for this is not far-fetched. According to
impeccable police investigation source, 'rape cases are lost because of
violation and tampering with vital evidence at the scene of incident.'
Strangely, nearly 100 cases of rape have been reported this
year. This odd increase has been
attributed to the idleness and alcoholism created by the stay at home COVID-19
prevention order.
Some rape incidents have also been captured under the
camouflage of superstition, spirituality and horrendous money-making rituals.
Culturally, in some parts of the country, child rights act
or laws are yet to be domesticated. Hence, the headache of underage marriages
and their concomitant labour and post discomfort for young mothers. Fistula
occurences, which destabilizes the child bearing organs, abound in Northern
Nigeria.
Many a time, rape victims are ridiculously required to prove
their violation beyond reasonable doubt in mostly male dominated law courts.
Hence, faced with the fear of stigmatization and doubt on
fair hearing, some rape victims just bottled up, brood and seek vengeance
through violent means. Some even take their own lives after losing self esteem
and value for existence.
It therefore behooves all leaders in Government at all
levels to implement stringent and punitive measures to stem the tide of this
unholy abuse of weaker beings. Even men have raised the alarm of rape by women
and other men. Not even the sacred
circle of the clergy is spared anymore.
On the part of ladies, they need to be modest in their
dressing, by avoiding sexually provocative dresses, which could invite animal
instinct from addicted sex offenders.
A school of thought even blames incessant sexual assaults of
violent sexual scenes in Nigerian movies, which inadvertently help to shape the
formative years of young people watching.
Finally, amidst this
confusion, solution should be sought from the country's law makers, to review
the legislation on rape and gender based discrimination.
As it stands today, everyone has to stand upright and be
counted as voices saying: "No to Rape."
Lest the epidemic of indiscriminate rape and sexual
molestation translate into a more destructive phenomenon, almost worse than the
deadly Corona Virus. Rape is a subjugation of both the body and soul, physical
and mental. Welfare and security of citizens are the basis for good governance.
Let's end the menace of rape in our land.
Biblically, in reference to Genesis 34, Dinah the daughter of Jacob was raped by shechem, it brought disgrace unto the lineage of Jacob.
The dastardly act made Dinah's brothers avenge on her behalf, which eventually lead to the death of shechem, Harmon (Father of shechem), and the whole city. The harsh consequences here led to wiping out a whole nation.
However, Churches are advice to commence detail and rich sermon about rape for its congregations, as measures to curb the act.
Biblically, in reference to Genesis 34, Dinah the daughter of Jacob was raped by shechem, it brought disgrace unto the lineage of Jacob.
The dastardly act made Dinah's brothers avenge on her behalf, which eventually lead to the death of shechem, Harmon (Father of shechem), and the whole city. The harsh consequences here led to wiping out a whole nation.
However, Churches are advice to commence detail and rich sermon about rape for its congregations, as measures to curb the act.
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