Femi Adesina Frown at Violence Against Women …JFC present report on Trends and Contexts of Misogyny and TFGBV in Nigeria
The former special adviser on Media and Publicity to the former Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Femi Adesina, OON, has frowned at discrimination against women in any society and described it as ungodly.
Adesina made this known as the special guest of honour during the public presentation of a report on Trends and Contexts of Misogyny and TFGBV in Nigeria by a Nigerian faith-based media and allied organisation, Journalists For Christ International Outreach.
The well-attended presentation held at Kessington Adebutu Media and Resource Centre of Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday, December 5th, 2024, has top ranking journalists, media practitioners, students and young journalists in attendance.
The report published by Journalists For Christ (JFC) was sponsored by the World Association For Christian Communication (WACC) and Bread For The World -German Protestant Agency for Diaconia and Development.
In his address, Mr Adesina said, the published report on online violence and abuse against women in Nigeria is another familiar way of gender violence.
Quoting from the scripture, Adesina said, The Lord gave the word and great is the company of those that publish it. “I am happy that JFC took up the challenge to research and work on this project to create awareness and let the world know, it is ungodly to discriminate against women. If God created human beings why should we discriminate and hate part of human beings God created? He asked.
He advised against frustrating women in a situation as experienced in some part of the world where the frustration against women lead to a grandstanding call for same-sex marriage.
In his submission during the report present, the Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, who commended the report and described JFC as an advocacy group.
Sharing his experience as a journalist, Mr. Adefaye said, “In my career as a journalist, some of the great journalists I know are women, I saw excellence in them and in almost every area of my life I have been supported by women. Many who discriminate against women are ignorant of their actions”.
Mrs Oruoma Odum, a lecturer in NIJ reviewed the report and said, many perpetuated discrimination against women because of their background and upbringing. “It all depends on how parents bring up their children, and to have a better society, there’s a need to educate our children, especially the boys on how to treat girls with respect and irrespect of their gender, to discourage some ungodly behaviour among them”.
Also, “the government has a lot to do to support the causes against Misogyny and curb violence against women. The government has the knife and the yam,” Odum said.
Other speakers at the presentation, including Pastor Tokunbo Emmanuel, Ms Betty Abbah, and Yinka Fayemi of NAWOJ agreed that women in Nigeria are going through enormous challenge as weaker sex because of stereotypes from the society. While lamenting over how the society has unjustly discriminated against women through emotional, psychological, and physical abuse.they echoed that women should not succumb to societal blackmail.
Meanwhile, in his welcome address, the President of JFC, Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin went down the memory lane and recounted an encounter during a visit to the UK in 1999 that led to JFC’s relationship with WACC.
Mr Otufodunrin thanked WACC for their support over the years and expressed appreciation to other sponsors ont he project.
