The Wellspring Outreach and Support Foundation has raised concern over the continued practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in parts of Nigeria despite existing laws prohibiting it.
The organisation said the harmful practice remains widespread, even with legal frameworks in place to curb it.
A director of the foundation, Adelayo Ojo-Nkom, made this known in Ibadan during the organisation’s month-long social media advocacy campaign against FGM.
Ojo-Nkom described FGM as a deeply harmful practice that persists in many communities, including in Oyo State. According to her, the practice—known by different local names in Yoruba communities—exists in several forms, all of which pose serious risks to the health and wellbeing of the girl child.
She explained that some forms involve partial or total removal of the clitoris, while others include more severe procedures.
“FGM is very deadly to the girl child, in fact, extremely deadly.
“It has caused mortality in many cases. Some girls bleed excessively after the act and die, while others develop infections that eventually lead to death,” she said.
Beyond immediate physical risks, Ojo-Nkom noted that survivors often face lifelong consequences, including trauma, complications during childbirth, sexual dysfunction, and psychological conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
She added that many women subjected to FGM experience pain during sexual intercourse and are denied full marital intimacy, turning what should be a joyful experience into a traumatic one.
Ojo-Nkom attributed the persistence of the practice to deeply rooted cultural beliefs, misinformation, and the role of older women as custodians of the tradition.
“Women are often the gatekeepers of this culture. It is the grandmothers who take their granddaughters. It is the mothers who insist on it.
“Some girls are made to believe that if they are not cut, they will not get married, they will not be able to give birth, or that their children will be abnormal,” she said.
She stressed that such beliefs are false and have no medical or moral basis, adding that moral behaviour cannot be linked to whether FGM is performed.
According to her, the foundation’s advocacy has shown that even some young women still support the practice due to social conditioning, highlighting the need for continued awareness and education.
Ojo-Nkom called on parents, traditional leaders, women groups and community influencers to speak out against FGM and reject the practice.
“Everybody should be an advocate against FGM. It should stop. We should not encourage it,” she said.
She also reminded the public that FGM is a criminal offence under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, noting that offenders risk fines or imprisonment.
However, she lamented weak enforcement, saying many people still treat the issue as a private family matter.
“That silence is one of the reasons the practice continues,” she said.
As part of its campaign, the foundation unveiled an anti-FGM pledge encouraging individuals to take personal responsibility in ending the practice.
The pledge reads: “I will not be the one to hold the child down. I will not be the one to pay the cutter. I will be the voice that says: The cutting stops with me.”
Ojo-Nkom urged Nigerians to become more vocal in resisting the practice and protecting the rights and dignity of the girl child.