Kwara First Lady leads charge against gender-based violence

By Muyideen Aliyu

Ambassador Olufolake AbdulRazaq, the First Lady of Kwara State and Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum (NGSF), has called for an uncompromising, united front against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), asserting that no religious or cultural tenet justifies the oppression of women.

Speaking at a high-level advocacy engagement in Ilorin on Tuesday, Ambassador AbdulRazaq, who also founded the Ajike People’s Support Centre, urged a total overhaul of social norms that silence survivors and normalize inequality.

She emphasized that Gender-Based Violence is not only a violation of rights but a direct barrier to development, peace, and social cohesion.

The focus of the engagement was to move beyond addressing physical acts to confronting the broader mindset that excuses abuse and silences those affected.

The Kwara State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Oluwakemi Afolashade, detailed the state’s proactive measures, revealing that over 1,000 traditional rulers across Kwara have been trained in community-level prevention and response.

The state has established emergency response centers and confidential reporting channels to ensure survivors receive support without fear of stigma. Religious leaders, including Senior Apostle Shina Ibiyemi of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Imam Imale, Alh. Abdullahi Abdulhamid, joined the call, emphasizing the moral responsibility of leaders and parents to protect the girl-child and women from neglect.

The engagement concluded with a signed communique from traditional and religious leaders pledging their full support for the enforcement of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law.

The stakeholders committed to publicly condemning all forms of domestic and sexual violence, promoting protective cultural teachings that uphold the dignity of women, and establishing safe referral pathways.

The communique signaled a new era of community ownership in the fight against GBV, affirming that transforming harmful social norms begins with leadership and collective accountability.