By Our Correspondent
A socio cultural group, Ora Igbomina Development Association, (OIDA) has advocated for the eradication of Female Genital Mutilatlion, FGM, among the female indigenes of the town.
The President of the Association, Chief Adebayo Julius who made the plea while speaking with newsmen in Ora, Osun State said the practice has made many female indigenes of the town to flee from Ora as they could not go through the harrowing experience suffered by many of the victims of FGM.
Chief Julius said the practice which is more pronounced among the ruling houses of Ora Igbomina, most especially the Asaoni of Igbomina has been a subject of concern to many.
He said the victims of FGM has gone through series of negative effects which include; severe pain, excessive bleeding (haemorrhage) genital tissue swelling, fever, infections like tetanus, urinary problems.
wound healing problems.
injury to surrounding genital tissue, and sometimes, HIV.
He said the custom of Female Genital Mutilatlion started with the royal household of Ora, saying that whoever would be Asaoni of Igbomina or any Prince from the town must submit their female children for FGM, while male Children must also have incision inscribed in their bodies.
While going on memory lane, Chief Julius Adebayo said Ora-Igbomina is an ancient Igbomina town in Ifedayo Local Government Area, Osun State, Nigeria. It is a conjoining boundary town among Osun, Ekiti and Kwara States.
It was the first town to accept Christianity and invariably Western education in Igbominaland.
"Ora is referred to as "the Cradle of Education and Christianity in Igbomina Land, and by extension to parts of Moba Division of present-day Ekiti State and also in the whole of the old Osun North East Division of the old Western Region, which covers almost half of the present Osun State".
He said with its placement in the history, the town ought to have done away with FGM and incision ritual as many promising children have died through the practice.
He called on the Governor of the State Adegboyega Oyetola and the State Ministry of Health to wade into the issue.
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