Family In Esan Disowns Son For Refusing Circumcision of His 3 Daughters

The law criminalizing female genital mutilation in Edo State was passed by the State Assembly several years ago to checkmate the activities of those behind femalegenitalmutilation, reports of widespread abuses are still prevalent in many communities as many families have either reportedly had their girl-child forcefully undergone the crude and unsafe process of female genital mutilation all in a bid to protect strict family norms while others have had to compulsorily abandon their relatives and fled with their family to escape the evil and attendant consequences of the practice of female genital mutilation in their domain.

For the family of Cynthia Osas and her 3 daughters in Edo State, mandatory circumcision of their daughters was certainly not negotiable as it was a cultural practice in the family of her husband Mr.Samuel(last name withheld)to have every girl-child circumcised for a life of fulfilled womanhood and motherhood totally devoid of any unwanted controversies deeply ingrained in unfaithfulness or promiscuity in marriage.

In Esan culture in Edo State, the homeland of Mr.Samuel, reports of abuses from female genital mutilation are widespread as many cases have often resulted in fatalities often from untreated infections and excessive bleeding from continued use of crude and unsterilized objects by either unprofessional birth attendant with little or no experience in managing cases of severe injuries sustained while performing the illicit act.

While so many cultures perceive it as a serious affront to the existence of the age-long practice when certain individuals who include law enforcement agents tend to meddle or interfer usually when cases are reported, more often than not, lack of evidence often times abruptly disrupt the entire process as victims are not protected by the law owing to poor implementation of the law at the grassroots level which often times coupled with intimidation of family members of the victims.

For Mrs.Cynthia Osas, the arrival of her 3 daughters namely Audrey, Gracious Omoye and Gabriella was only needed to set her on a collision course with her in-laws in Esan land as they vehemently demanded for the circumcision of their 3 daughters.

On several occasions, she vehemently resisted the elders who insisted that as an age-long cultural norm in the community, others have had to undergone the practice, warning that their 3 daughters were no exception to the standing rule of the family.

Violent threats were severally issued as the entire process practically reduced to one of whimsical display of diabolical powers to coerce the family to submission as generational curses were angrily pronounced against Mrs.Cynthia Osas and her family for challenging the cultural norm in the family .

Meanwhile, the threats to the lives of their 3 daughters were reportedly incidented at the police station for law enforcement agents to swing into action with little or response from them.

The police to the shocking dismay of Mrs.Cynthia Osas and her family were again reminded that lack of evidence of any threats to have her 3 daughters circumcised were not enough to compell them to either effect any arrest or prosecute violators of the law criminalizing female genital mutilation.