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Nigerians protest ambassador’s FGM denials dublin |
gender and sexuality |
news report
 Thursday April 09, 2009 21:02 by Sparky sparky_dublin at yahoo dot ie
 Claims by the Nigerian ambassador that female genital mutilation (FGM) is a ‘non-existant’ issue in her country were denounced by a lively, lunchtime protest held today outside the embassy in Ballsbridge and attended by around 35 Nigerians. Dr Kema Chikwe had made the assertions on RTE's 'Would You Believe' (video link below) despite being confronted with data that the practice of FGM remains widespread. Chikwe brushed aside statistics not just from Amnesty International but Nigeria’s own submissions to the UN, which give an average 32% prevalence for FGM, rising to 65% in some parts of the country. 
Caption: Video Id: USmpR2Vy_9c Type: Youtube Video |
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Comments (10 of 10)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Additional images of today's protest
I think we can believe the World Health Organisation & Amnesty International on this one; there are also organisations in Africa working to eliminate this horrendous practice.
it's a pity that kema who is suppossed to be the nigerians shephard has turned into the judas of our time, just because of her selfish interests. As a proud nigerian, i am highly disappointed and ashamed to call her my leader. She should learn from others on how leaders should comport themselves. She should stop washing her dirty linens in public.
Amnesty's webpage had a link to FGM information, and petition to stop this horrendous practice.
By denying that Female Circumcision does not exist in Nigeria the ambassador is not demonising Pamela Izevbekhai she is only showing the unwillingnes of the Nigerian Authorities to Stop the practise. Denial of reality is terribly dangerous. It prevents timely responses to trouble, clouds our vision, eventually weakens us at the moment of true trial and wreaks havoc with our lives.
I think this YouTube video shows us the sort of superstitious pagan/traditional women who do this to young girls.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMSQPDd1B2g
Female circumcision is driven totally by superstition and ignorance. The Nigerian government should take strong action against the women who carry on this ancient practice but the reason they don't may be to do with the extent of the ancient roots of indigenous superstitious beliefs in that country. Christian and Islamic missionaries who work in Nigeria know only too well how hard the traditional practices designed to ward off malevolent sorcery and witchcraft are to eradicate. The Nigerian government is no less susceptible to the pull of this Vodoo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLtZm0dHtvA
Caption: Video Id: TMSQPDd1B2g Type: Youtube Video
Embedded video Youtube Video
Its unfortunate that after Kema's tenure as an aviaton minister in Nigeria where she had no strategies and ideas, the Nigerian govt deemed it fit to send her to Ireland.Other ambassadors protect their people in foreign lands but hers is to give interviews without facts and figures.She has not said anything about getting foreign investors into nigeria but instead is muddying the nigerian image which she swore as an ambassador to protect and uphold.FGM is an african tradition which is so entrenched that it will take decades and a lot of education to eradicate. Can she say she is not aware of 13 year old girls being married off in Northern Nigeria and developing VVF as a result of having kids at that age. There are so many traditions which Nigerians hold on to which will shock the world to know that even the literate still subscribe to. For instance i come from a place where snakes are not killed, doing so is believed to be detrimental to your family.This shows that Nigerian still hold on to the archaic belief that Female Circumcision makes a woman less promiscious
The role of any government all over the world is to protect its citizens and this becomes even more important where such citizens are in a foreign country. The position of Kema/Obasanjo, her( "father" etc) on the FGM issue and others as affects Nigerians living in Ireland is a reflection of the sorry state of our Nation. At times one is left to wonder if it is a mistake being a Nigerian or what do you say where an ambassador has labelled her own country a fraud.
Can our honourable ambassador submit herself to FGM check?
Can the hospitals in Ireland collate and publish how many Nigerian women have not been mutilated based on the number of child births recorded in this country?
I am not suprised at chikwe statement, she is one of those polticians
who with lies and back doors find their ways to getting political appointments
inother to defraud the government,
She should be questioned for this babaric act of hers, I just want her to
know that a house divided against itself can never stand.
She is the kind of rulers we have over there. pls learn to represent your
country or put up your resignation before those who sent you here.
please we,ve had enough from you and your colleagues
kema is behaving true to type. we are not suprised that she has carried her fraudulent behaviour to Ireland.you can now uderstand why she had to be banished to Ireland in the name of ambassadorial position. since she left there has been peace in her marital home, her kindred, village,local govt,state,and the country.PLEASE manage her, remember her in your daily prayers. we do not want her back.