RismadarVoice Reporters
February 12, 2026
The Ekiti State First Lady, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, has called on political, traditional and religious leaders, as well as advocacy groups, to intensify efforts towards protecting female children from female genital mutilation (FGM).
She made the appeal in Ado Ekiti on Thursday during an engagement with journalists to mark the 2026 International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, themed: “ 2030: No End to FGM Without Sustained Commitment and Investment .”
Although the official commemoration date was February 6, various organizations and agencies across the state held programmes to reinforce the campaign against the practice.
Ekiti State is reported to have one of the highest prevalence rates of FGM in Nigeria and ranks highest in the South-West region.
Dr. Oyebanji noted that the theme for this year’s observance underscored the need for renewed and sustained action, stressing that existing laws must be fully implemented.
“We must feel a collective need so deep that it compels us to act differently. Our laws against FGM must move from paper to practice, our cultural dialogues must move from tacit acceptance to courageous condemnation. Our pulpits and palaces must echo with a unified message of protection,” she said.
The Ekiti State Government has enacted the Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, 2019, which criminalizes FGM, prescribes penalties for perpetrators and enablers.
Reaffirming her commitment to the campaign, the First Lady said her office, through its Gender Unit and her organization, the Widows, Aged, Orphans Hope Support Foundation would continue to ensure that cases are reported and offenders prosecuted.
“The sustained commitment and investment must start now, with every resource we have,” she said, adding that survivors would receive both legal and psychosocial support.
She further disclosed plans to intensify advocacy campaigns in schools and institutions, aligning the anti-FGM drive with Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s Human Capital Development agenda, which prioritises citizens’ wellbeing and dignity.
Dr. Oyebanji commended the state government for progress made in reducing FGM prevalence and urged law enforcement agencies to ensure strict enforcement of the law as a deterrent.
Also speaking, the Civil Society Organisations’ representative, Mrs. Abimbola Aladejare-Salako, said that despite sustained grassroots campaigns, resistance still exists in some communities.
She revealed that over 100 communities in the state have publicly declared a ban on FGM through a community-led approach adopted by the government. However, she noted that about 10 per cent of communities remain reluctant.
Aladejare-Salako emphasised that perpetrators must face the full weight of the law and pledged the continued collaboration of civil society groups with stakeholders to eradicate the practice.
