Ekiti State First Lady, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, has called on political, traditional, and religious leaders, as well as advocacy groups, to intensify efforts to protect female children from female genital mutilation.

Oyebanji appealedto  Ado Ekiti on Thursday during an engagement with journalists to commemorate the 2026 International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, themed: “2030: No end to FGM without sustained commitment and investment.”

February 6 is observed globally as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, with programmes organised to highlight the need to end the practice.

Ekiti State is among the states with the highest prevalence of FGM in Nigeria and ranks highest in the Southwest.

The state government has put in place legal frameworks prohibiting FGM, including the Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, 2019, which prescribes strict penalties for practitioners and enablers.

The First Lady said the theme for the 2026 edition underscores the need for renewed commitment, noting that previous efforts have not been sufficient to eliminate the practice.

“We must feel a collective need so deep that it compels us to act differently. Our laws against FGM must move from paper to practice, and our cultural dialogues must move from tacit acceptance to courageous condemnation. Our pulpits and palaces must echo with a unified message of protection,” she said.

She reaffirmed her commitment to the campaign against FGM through her office, her organisation, Widows, Aged, Orphans Hope Support Foundation, and in her capacity as an educator.

“This is our turning point. The sustained commitment and investment must start now, with every resource we have,” she added.

Oyebanji said the Gender Unit under her office would continue to ensure that cases are reported and prosecuted under the state’s domesticated laws, while survivors receive legal aid and psychosocial support.

She called on law enforcement agencies to ensure perpetrators are prosecuted as a deterrent, and pledged intensified advocacy in schools and other institutions in alignment with Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s Human Capital Development agenda.

The Civil Society Organisations’ representative, Mrs Abimbola Aladejare-Salako, said that despite sustained community-level campaigns, resistance still exists in some quarters.

She disclosed that over 100 communities in the state have publicly declared a ban on FGM through a community-led approach, although about 10 per cent remain reluctant.

Aladejare-Salako noted that the Ekiti State House of Assembly had enacted a law prohibiting FGM and stressed that perpetrators must face the full weight of the law. She pledged the continued collaboration of CSOs with stakeholders to eradicate the practice.

The event was attended by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Peju Babafemi; the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, who was represented by Mrs. Sola Gbenga-Igotun; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Olusola Adeluyi-Femi; and other stakeholders.