Soroptimists International Launches 16 Days Campaign Against Gender-Based Violence

By Ifeoma Ikem

In a bid to combat the scourge of gender-based violence, Soroptimists International Nigeria Association (SINA), a non-governmental organization, has commenced its 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.

This annual international campaign, which runs from November 25 to December 10, aims to raise awareness, mobilize action, and partner with stakeholders to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.

The alarming rate of child molestation, rape and domestic violence against women has become a persistent concern in Nigeria. Many victims are forced into silence due to family threats and the fear of societal trauma. The 16 Days of Activism campaign seeks to break this silence and promote a culture of zero tolerance for gender-based violence.

According to Mrs Mubarak Augusto-Agoro,
President of SINA at a press conference at it’s Ikoyi-Lagos office, the organization is committed to making its voice heard on this critical issue.

As an NGO with general consultative status with the United Nations, SINA is poised to address the attitudes and behaviors that contribute to the fear of violence among women in their daily lives.

“As a leading women’s organization, we call on all our clubs in Nigeria to stand tall in orange, showing the world that we are part of this crusade to say no to violence against women and girls,” Agoro emphasized.

“We also urge politicians to match their commitments with adequate resources to stand with us and end violence against women and girls.”

The 16 Days of Activism campaign is a call to action for individuals, organizations and governments to work together to prevent violence and ensure justice for women and girls worldwide.
This year’s campaign also emphasizes the need for governments to assess their investments in gender-based violence prevention.

As SINA joins the global community in observing the 16 Days of Activism, the organization urges citizens to show solidarity by speaking out against gender-based violence and ensuring that justice is served when necessary. By working together, we can create a world free from violence against women and girls.

Husband jailed 12 years for killing wife

The Lagos State High Court in Ikeja on Monday convicted and sentenced a man, Akinwale Akinlabi, to 12 years imprisonment for killing his wife.

The convict was initially arraigned on July 26, 2021, on a count of manslaughter before the presiding judge, Justice Oyindamola Ogala, to which he pleaded not guilty.

His charge sheet read, “Akinwale Akinlabi on or about February 2, 2020, at No 23 Adeogun Street, Ijaiye Ojokoro area of Lagos State, in the Ikeja Judicial Division unlawfully killed one Cecilia Tope Akinlabi.”

According to the prosecution counsel, the one count of manslaughter is an offence that contravenes Section 229 of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015.

It was reportedly gathered that during the trial which began on May 12, 2022, the prosecution’s first witness, identified as Inspector Jumai Adonduwa, testified that the deceased had reported her husband, the defendant, to the police for domestic violence before her death.

“The deceased on January 30, 2020, at about 11:40 pm, made a report against her husband, the defendant, at the station and stated that on that particular day at about 10:00 am, her husband demanded N100 from her to buy a recharge card and when she said she didn’t have any to give him, the defendant used a bunch of brooms to beat her in the presence of her son. She said she left home for peace to reign and thought that by the time she returned, all would be settled,” Adonduwa said. He then told the court that the deceased returned at about 10:00 pm and the beatings continued.

“She said the radio in the room was too loud and when she tried reducing the volume, the defendant came in from nowhere and started beating her with fist blows all over her body. The defendant then pushed her and she fell on a glass shelf in their room.

“She said the glass broke and she sustained a serious injury with a deep cut and that her husband continued to beat her and it was her son that rescued her from the defendant and that the defendant threatened to beat her to death saying that his family has money for a court case,” Adonduwa stated.

The prosecution counsel further disclosed that the deceased’s brother came to the Ijaiye Police Station to inform them about his sister’s sudden death.

On February 2, 2020, at about 6:30 pm, the brother to the deceased came to the police station to report that he was in Benin when he heard the sad news of his sister’s death and that he learnt that his sister had come to the station to report the case. He told the police that his sister had died as a result of beatings. The deceased’s brother stated that the defendant refused to inform them of the death of their sister and that the defendant took the corpse somewhere in Ogun State to bury it without the consent of her family,” he said.

Adonduwa further confirmed that the children reported their mother was purging blood and was rushed to the hospital where she slumped and later died.

The prosecution’s second witness, Sergeant Adeniyi Sola, testified that he was familiar with the defendant and remembered February 3, 2020, when the case was initially reported at the Ijaiye Police Station against the defendant. He stated that the case was later transferred to the SCID for further investigation. His testimony supported that of the prosecution’s first witness.

During cross-examination, Adeniyi confirmed that the first altercation occurred on January 31, 2020, and the second incident happened a day before the deceased’s death. He also assured the court that he conducted a thorough investigation into the case.

COMMUNIQUE
OF THE VIRTUAL ANNUAL GENERAL CONFERENCE (AGC) OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS (CDHR) HELD ON SATURDAY 23RD NOVEMBER, 2024 AT
THE RIGHT HOUSE IKEJA LAGOS STATE

Statutory delegates from State Branches across the country (Anambra, Akwa-Ibom, Bauchi, Benue,
Delta, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Lagos, Kwara, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Rivers and FCT)
constituting the National Council and the National Executives of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), under the leadership of Comrade Debo Adeniran, converged virtually and physically at the right house ikeja lagos state to hold the 2024 Annual General Conference on Saturday 23rd November 2024. Impressive number of delegates, partners, collaborators, associates, friends, and observers from different works of life as well as the media attended the conference (virtually and physically). The theme of the 2024 Annual General Conference was: “CDHR as a membership organisation: principles, ideals and conventions”. Eminent keynotes speaker was the national president Comrade Debo Adeniran. Good will message was taken from Mrs. Yemisi Ransome-Kuti, the first national treasurer of CDHR. Others are Comrades Solomon Sobade, former General Secretary of the Gani Fawehinmi Solidarity Association, Alex Omotehinse…. The delegates’ deliberations on the state of the nation centred on realities of Nigerian state particularly in relation to the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of Nigerians, delegates resolved as follows:
1. The Convention commended the conferment of title of GCFR on Chief MKO Abiola by the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, it demands that the federal government under Ahmed Bola Tinubu to recognise Chief MKO Abiola as a former president of Nigeria and his portrait be hung among the ex-presidents and that June12 be declared MKO Abiola Day instead of Democracy Day;
2. The federal government should always respect and uphold the rights and freedom of Nigerians as it is entrench in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by ensuring that Needs Assessments are carried out in all constituencies before entries are made into the annual Appropriation Bills;
3. Empowering the military and other security agents with better funding, training, protection, modern equipment and intelligent gathering to curb in totality, the security issues in the country especially rising terrorism, banditry, militancy, kidnapping for ransoms, Boko Haram menace and the new insurgent group in the North, Lukarawa;
4. That federal government should review the economic policies that have impoverished Nigerian people, turn them to beggars in their homeland, causing hyper inflation, and poor standards of living, among others. Specifically, CDHR demands that withdrawal of subsidies on petroleum products and energy should be restored and expanded to include subsidies on food, healthcare, education at higher levels and compulsory free education up to senior secondary levels;
5. CDHR demands with immediate effect from the federal government to fix all refineries, build new ones, control prices for private refineries and reduce the price of pump price for all oil marketers and other essential commodities;
6. The federal government should check the excess of the state governors from squandering state resources and projects that have no direct impact on people by ensuring all procurement are done in accordance with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act;
7. Put an end to all forms of corruption in all sectors of the economy, including the presidency. The Anticorruption Agencies should be empowered to stop public projects that are found to have been awarded at costs higher than their verifiable worths and prosecute all misapplication of funds, particularly using state resources for personal gain.
8. CDHR demands that the federal government should address the issues raised by Amnesty International on impunity for human rights violations, including those committed by security forces.
9. Curb extra judicial killings of innocent Nigerians by various security apparatus. Trial and appropriate sentence of anyone found wanting.
10. Embark on genuine restructuring of the country to reflect true federalism and equitable economic development of all sections of the country. Sustain the autonomy given to the local government and ensure that all Local Council Development Areas created in several states of the federation that meet Conditions for creating local government councils are fully recognized as Local Government Area Councils;
11. Stop devaluation of naira and embark on policies that will make exchange rate favourable to local and international investors.

E-Signed:
Conrade Debo Adeniran,
National President CDHR Nigeria.

Comrade Idris Afees Olayinka,
National Publicity Secretary CDHR Nigeria