Tragedy As Ogun Couple Losses Daughter During Circumcision Process
Tragedy struck at Kemta Oloko , in Abeokuta South area of Ogun State when Aina Bolajoko, daughter of Mr and Mrs Tajudeen OGUNYEMI died after undergone circumcision at the family compound over the weekend.
Salient Times gathered that Mr Tajudeen Ogunyemi had followed the request of his family to surrender his only daughter, Aina for circumscion according to family customs and tradition.
“Though he was recalitrant, but had to succumb to pressure, this led to her daughter’s death after the traditionalist had performed the circumscion, but the innocent lady later developed complications,unstoppable blood oozing out of her private part and all efforts to stop it proved abortive, after she was rushed to the nearby hospital at Ijaye Abeokuta.
Speaking to our Correspondent, Mrs Bolajoko whose eyes was filled with tears lamented the loss of her only daughter to genital mutilation due to his carelessness believe in traditions.
However he lamented the use of crude tools to perform the cutting, saying that her daughter later developed complication and the untreated wounds she suffered from female circumcision carried out on her led to her death .
Sixtheen year old Aina, according to her parent, had been battling ill health as a result of infection from untreated wounds sustained in the course of her circumcision.
Her mother, Mrs. Dorcas Ogunyemi, a petty trader, from Sabo in Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State, couldn’t hold back tears while recounting how pressures from family members and village people from the community, made them allow Aina to go through FGM.
Mr Bolajoko, a father of two who said he had earlier lost a son was full of tears and regret.
From his story, it is believed that the child must have been circumcised using a method of infibulation. Infibulation is a total scrapping of the clitoris, labia manora and labia minora. This process comes with pain, bleeding, stress and highly prone to infection.
Speaking on the experience of some families on the issue of FGM, a socialist community leader while narrating his family experience on the travails of some families said his younger brother also had a nearly bitter experience when the family requested that he should surrender there two daughters for circumscion.
Speaking to Our Correspondent, Mr Tunde Ogunyele, said, there had been series of moves to convince his younger brother and wife, Mr and Mrs Ogunyemi Lanre to surrender their two daughters, Ogunyemi Aliya Omowonuola who was born on 30th January, 2008 and her younger Sister, Ogunyemi Arinola Khaira, who was born on 30th August, 2012 for the FGM.
He narrated that the family had used series of threats, including attempt to abduct the two children and other means, to ensure that both the father and mother submitted their daughters to undergo the harrowing experience of FGM
Also one, Adeola Kemi, fashion designer, confirmed that her Sister, Mrs Ogunyemi eloped death with her Sister’s in-laws after series of threats to surrender there daughters in allow there to perform the traditional rites of circumcision on her Sister daughters, Ogunyemi Aliya Omowonuola and Ogunyemi Arinola Khaira, a practice they claim was culturally and traditionally acceptable in their family.
Adeola Kemi who was reacting to the Bolajoko travails said Ogunyemi and their immediate family are currently on the run for the safety of their lives because the husband family has threatened to wipe out the Ogunyemi family should they be stopped from performing the traditional rites which has since exceeded the stipulated time.
“As part of the threat, the husband community sent hoodlums to the family house at Onikoko area in Abeokuta South area of Ogun State, over the family’s refusal to allow them to circumcise their daughters. They threatened to kill them because it’s a taboo already as they have refused to present the daughters for circumcision. They have refused to heed their warnings because the practice is against their religious beliefs but they keep mounting pressure on them to succumb to their will”, she said.
Speaking further, she said her Sister and her husband had reported the case to the police because he was scared of being harmed by his husband families.
Speaking on the late Aina travails, Adeola said Aina and her parent have been victims of Harmful Traditional Practices (HTPs), commonly in African societies; it often results in premature death of young ladies and house wifes as well as leave many physically, medically, psychologically and emotionally damaged for life.
Many families in Africa and particularly, Yorubaland had to undergo harrowing experience while trying to protect their females children from undergoing FGM.
