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From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Gender Mobile Initiative (GMI) has demanded an urgent nationwide audit of cultural practices following disturbing reports from the Ozoro Festival in Delta State.
The group said incidents linked to the festival had sparked wider concerns about traditions that may enable gender-based violations, stressing that the issue goes beyond outrage over viral videos.
In a statement on Monday, GMI called for a critical review of cultural frameworks, noting that both recent accounts and longstanding narratives suggest the existence of practices that publicly shame women—especially those perceived as infertile.
It cited acts such as pouring sand on affected women, describing them as degrading and incompatible with human dignity, regardless of their cultural or ritual significance.
Team Lead, Omowunmi Ogunrotimi, said the development highlights the need to confront harmful norms.
“We cannot continue to excuse harmful practices under the guise of culture. Where traditions promote stigma, humiliation, or violence against women, they must be questioned and reformed,” she said.
Ogunrotimi added that culture must evolve to reflect shared values of dignity, equality and safety, warning that preserving harmful norms only deepens injustice.
GMI stressed that any cultural expression rooted in the humiliation or control of women’s bodies raises serious human rights concerns.
“Culture is a people’s way of life, but it should not come at the expense of dignity, safety and humanity,” the organisation stated.
The group linked the Ozoro Festival concerns to broader societal patterns that normalise the policing of women’s bodies and reinforce harmful gender norms across communities.
It noted that such issues are not limited to Delta State, but reflect wider practices that undermine the rights of women and girls nationwide.
GMI, therefore, called for a comprehensive audit of cultural practices to identify and reform harmful and discriminatory elements, urging engagement with community leaders, cultural custodians and rights advocates.
The organisation maintained that while culture is important, traditions that promote harm, exclusion or violence should not be shielded from scrutiny.
It reaffirmed its commitment to advocating a society where culture uplifts and protects all individuals, rather than diminishing vulnerable groups.
