BENIN CITY – A housewife and an entrepreneur, Mrs Hope Imwonwa, has alleged that she is facing pressure, threats and the risk of divorce from members of her husband’s family for refusing to subject her infant daughter to female circumcision, also known as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Mrs Imwonwa, a mother of two girls, said the dispute arose from the traditional practice of the Iguelaba Community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, where she is married to Mr Peter Imwonwa.
She alleged that her first daughter was circumcised in line with the community’s custom despite her objections and personal convictions against the practice.
According to her, she later travelled outside Nigeria, where she gave birth to her second daughter, Success. She said members of her husband’s family have since insisted that the child be brought to the community for circumcision in accordance with tradition.
The mother of two maintained that she would not comply with the demand, citing the health risks associated with FGM and her belief that the practice endangers the physical and psychological wellbeing of girls.
She said her decision was based on her desire to protect her daughter from what she considers a harmful practice.
Mrs Imwonwa further alleged that some members of her husband’s family had warned that she risked divorce if she failed to heed their demand.
She also claimed they told her that refusing to circumcise the child would incur the wrath of the community’s gods, for which she would be compelled to perform traditional appeasement rites regardless of her religious faith, or face the consequences of defying the community’s customs.
Female Genital Mutilation involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
As of the time of filing this report, members of the Imwonwa family and representatives of the Iguelaba Community had not responded to the allegations.
Efforts to obtain their comments were unsuccessful.
The development has again brought to the fore the tension between entrenched cultural practices and growing campaigns to eliminate FGM and protect the rights and wellbeing of the girl child.
The practice has been widely condemned by health experts and human rights advocates because of its serious health complications and its violation of the rights of girls and women.
