Delta: Family on the run for rejecting female circumcision

Efeturi Ukpenotha Ofou, a native of Okpe-Isoko in Isoko North of Delta State, along with his wife and two young children, has been forced into hiding after standing against a longstanding tradition in their Okpe-Isoko community. Their only “crime”? Refusing to have their daughter undergo female circumcision—a rite their people believe is compulsory for every girl by the age of seven.

Ukpenotha and his wife, both devout Christians, see the practice as harmful and against their faith, believing it endangers their daughter’s health and infringes on her rights. Since the birth of their daughter in 2017, they have refused to yield to pressure from their community and even moved to Lagos hoping distance would calm the demands. However, as their daughter’s seventh birthday approached, the warnings grew more intense.

In early September, the couple received a direct letter from Okpe-Isoko’s community leaders instructing them to bring their daughter back for circumcision or face “serious consequences.” Alarmed but determined, Ukpenotha attended several meetings with the elders trying to explain his stance. Sadly his appeals were met with hostility as the elders saw his refusal as disrespectful and rebellious.

Then, on September 27, 2024 things took a darker turn. A group of men allegedly sent by the community, showed up at their Lagos residence, issuing fresh threats. During the confrontation, Ukpenotha’s wife suffered severe emotional distress that tragically led to a miscarriage. This heartbreaking event made the family realise that not even Lagos was safe—they were still within the reach of their community’s demands.

Desperate for help, the family reported the threats to local police, only to be advised by officers to “respect cultural practices.” Left with no choice and fearing for their daughter’s safety, the family took the drastic step to flee Nigeria, hoping to settle in a place where they could live free from fear.