Traditional rulers of Isu local government area of Imo State, have promised to partner with the United Nations Children Funds (UNICEF) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to end female genital mutilation (FGM) in their area to save the future of their female folks.
The traditional rulers made the promise during an enlightenment meeting with the representatives of NOA and UNICEF at the palace of the chairman of Isu Traditional Rulers, HRH, Eze Basil .C. Osuala
Eze Osuala reiterated that the monarchs will always cooperate with them by helping to sensitize their subjects on the dangers of the obnoxious practice of female genital mutilation and the need to stop it.
The traditional ruler of Oboro Amurie Isu, HRH, Eze Vincent Onyeabor Ahamefula affirmed that monarchs of Isu are ready to partner with UNICEF and other relevant agencies to curbing FGM, saying cases of FGM abound in their area.
According to the monarchs, “we will give UNICEF and NOA our maximum cooperation to end female genital mutilation in a view to safeguarding the lives of our female children and our future.
Earlier, UNICEF Consultant on FGM, Benjamin Mbakwem, urged the traditional rulers to talk to their subjects on the need to abandon FGM because of its negative implications, stressing that “women should be allowed to live the way God made them. FGM breeds serious marital problems. It is harmful and has long and short time consequences. UNICEF is not preaching to you to abandon your good culture and tradition, but to abhor obnoxious ones which do not lift your land positively”.
The State Director, National Orientation Agency, Vitus Ekeocha, who was represented by Chigozie Ojiakor, noted that enlightenment program against FGM had been carried out in seven local government areas of Imo State, while urging the community members to continue to speak against the ugly incident.
