Nigerian Woman, Children Flee Nigeria To Escape Female Genital Mutilation

Nigerian Woman, Children Flee Nigeria To Escape Female Genital Mutilation

 ...Hubby's Family Accused Of Cruelty 

A Nigeria woman, Abosede Adeyinka Michael and her two daughters have escaped female genital mutilation and are accusing the family of her hubby, Bamidele Michael of being cruel and insensitive to their plight. 

Investigations revealed that Mrs Abosede Michael is married to Bamidele and they are blessed with three children; two girls and a boy, named; Temidayo Michael, Nadia Michael and Desmond Michael. 

It was discovered that the problem of the Michaels started on March 22, 2023 when the hubby, Ibrahim was informed of the next traditional festival of their town, Egbegun Festival in Omuo Ekiti, a sleepy town in Ekiti state, South West Nigeria, a festival which comes up once in nine years.

The festival is notable festival amongst the people of the ancient town and surrounding towns in Ekiti.

It was gathered that prominent people in the town, especially members of families related to the traditional steads are consulted, to ascertain who amongst their children will be Chief Priest of the Egbegun for nine years.

In her emotion laden voice from her new abode, Mrs Abosede Michael explained that the traditionalists in the town and secret cult members consulted the oracle and deity and that her husband, Ibrahim was chosen as the next Chief Priest, a decision which initially didn't go down well with her and the hubby as she claimed they are staunch Christians, but that they later succumbed to the pressure of the family to take up the task.

In her words; "before the festival holds, the cultists and traditionalists in the village will consult the oracle and the deity to reveal, who will be crowned the next Prince of Egbegun goddess.

"Unfortunately, my husband was selected by the oracle and so the villagers demanded that he should return home with his family and that he will be in charge of the Egbegun deity.

"He became furious over the development and kicked against the barbaric tradition, but he was overpowered by the influence of his parents, who were also notable leaders of cult groups in the village.

"Furthermore, my husband was warned of the consequences of rejecting the offer as they told him that such will lead to the death of his children within the age group of one to 12 years and that his refusal will lead to famine and serious catastrophy in the town. 

"Moreover, after his acceptance, albeit grudgingly, it was announced that his wife will also join him and will be crowned too as the Princess of Egbegun in accordance with the tradition and culture, but that the wife will have to be circumcised, which invariably means cutting off part of my private part and the part that will be cut off will be part of the ingredients to be used as sacrifice for my husband.

"They said that it is a taboo for an uncircumcised female to enter the shrine for necessary rites and rituals to be carried out."

Mrs Michael revealed that she and her husband were terrified and helpless, especially as her husband had earlier narrated how two of his sisters died in miserable circumstances after they were circumcised. 

She said that immediately her husband agreed to the offer, she was 'arrested' and kept in a room designated for the ritual, and that she was told that she must not set her eyes on the sun with her daughters till the eve of the festival, which was against her wish, but that she was helpless.

She equally stated that on the fourth day of her incarceration, someone came to their rescue, when the guard manning the entrance of the "prison" had dozed off, so she and her daughters scaled the fence, dashed to the bush path, which led them to Ikare in Ondo State and that through a good Samaritan, they found their way to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

It was also disclosed that the entire village were stunned by the escape and that her husband was mandated to ensure her return and that of her daughters to Omuo Ekiti or else there would be greater consequences on him and the entire family, which she said prompted her husband to place a call to her, where she was hiding in Nasarawa State.

Continuing, she said that her only son, who was with her husband was being used as "negotiating" tool, and that they threatened to use the young boy for sacrifice to the gods. 

She said that her husband had to persuade the villagers to allow him find her and the daughters in company with his son, promising to return with everyone.

The husband and the son reportedly found their way to Abuja in search of her and the daughters, and that having known that her son was in Abuja, she carefully ensured her hubby and her son found their way to here whereabouts in Nasarawa State.

She claimed that she reunited with her husband and her son in the church, where they had taken refuge and that it took the serious intervention of church members before her son could be retrieved from her husband.

She claimed that a formal report of the unfortunate situation was made at Uke Police Station Division, Birnin Gbagyi, Nasarawa State and that the police in the division failed to act as they stated that since it is a cultural issue it should be sorted out in the village.

She said that it was the failure of the police to act according to the law of the land that made her realized that her life and those of her kids are  in danger as her husband had left for the village in anger with a promise to return with the villagers, who will forcefully take them back.

Furthermore, she said that the church elders rose in her defence and hurriedly arranged their ravelling  for them with the church fund so that they could escape the cruelty of the people.

Mrs Michael informed that on May 16, 2023, she and her three children left the shores of Nigeria for France, where they are certain they will get protection as the country is known for her stand against any form of human rights abuse, including Female Genital Mutilation.