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By Peter Bakare
AN ancient tradition under fire
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia for non-medical reasons. It has been practised for generations across several Nigerian ethnic groups.
UNICEF data shows that Nigeria ranks third globally in FGM prevalence. In 2012, 27 per cent of Nigerian women aged 15–49 had undergone the procedure. Although some regions are seeing declines, experts warn of a troubling shift: girls aged 0–14 are now being cut at higher rates.
Though practitioners argue that cutting preserves virginity, enhances marriageability, and promotes purity, medical and human rights experts insist these claims are baseless.
“FGM has no medical, social, or psychological benefits,” said Dr Yemi Bankole, a reproductive health specialist with the National Hospital, Abuja. “Every justification for the practice is rooted in misinformation and harmful stereotypes about female sexuality.”
A tradition that breaks homes
Once considered a cherished rite of passage, FGM is fast becoming a source of family conflict, emotional trauma, and permanent separation, as parents refuse to bow to cultural expectations that demand the circumcision of their female children.
For many families, refusing to circumcise their daughters means risking rejection, community sanctions, or losing access to their hometown entirely.
Pastor Abejide Kehinde from Kogi State is one such parent.
“My girls will never visit the village again,” he said. “It is ungodly and wicked. Why destroy what God created for pleasure and procreation?”
Mr Stephen Ologbosere fled his Abuja home with his wife, a daughter and two sons, following threat to his life and those of his immediate family, for not submitting his only female child to undergo the barbaric cultural practice; older than his lineage.
His experience mirrors a growing crisis affecting many Nigerian families.
In Kano State, Mallam Abu Sanda is living with the painful consequences. His eldest daughter, who was born two decades ago, is battling infertility.
“I will seek redress,” he vowed. “This tradition must end. Enough is enough.”
Experts say family tensions like these are becoming more common.
“FGM is no longer just a health problem; it is now a social crisis,” explained Prof. Aisha Yusuf, a gender studies scholar at Bayero University, Kano. “As younger parents reject the practice, generational clashes are emerging in ways we have never seen before.”
Why the practice refuses to die
Despite increasing awareness, several beliefs sustain FGM in Nigerian communities:
A circumcised girl is more disciplined and marriageable; Cutting ensures virginity and reduces promiscuity; Families fear social exclusion; Older women insist on preserving “ancestral pride.”
Some communities mistakenly attribute it to religion. Others believe it enhances fertility
But experts disagree.
“FGM does not reduce promiscuity; it only reduces bodily autonomy and pleasure,” said Dr Zainab Lawal, a consultant gynaecologist at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. “There is no scientific link between FGM and fertility. In fact, it is associated with infertility.”
Medical and psychological costs
According to the World Health Organization, the health implications of FGM are severe and often lifelong.
Immediate risks include: Shock, excessive bleeding, infection, urinary complications.
Long-term consequences include: infertility, painful sexual intercourse, complications during childbirth, chronic infections and cysts, trauma and depression.
“It is one of the most traumatic procedures a young girl can experience,” said Dr. Kelechi Okafor, a child psychologist. “The betrayal felt when caregivers hold them down during cutting often leads to long-term emotional scars.”
Law vs. Culture: The ongoing battle
Legal experts say enforcement remains weak.
“Criminalising FGM was a major victory, but implementation is poor,” said Barrister Halima Muhammad, a gender rights advocate. “Many cases go unreported due to fear of community backlash.”
Civil society groups are pushing for stronger community education.
The Circumcision Descendants Association of Nigeria (CDAN), a group of former circumcisers, has also joined the movement, demanding alternative livelihoods for practitioners.
“It is unrealistic to end FGM without addressing the economic incentives behind it,” argued Mr Bright Obot, a programme officer with an NGO working in the South-East. “Many cutters rely on the income for survival.”
A nation walking toward change
As Nigeria strives toward SDG 5: Gender Equality, the battle against FGM remains a tug-of-war between tradition and modern awareness.
For families like the Ologboseres, Abejides and Sanda household, the path forward is clear.
They have chosen safety over tradition, science over superstition, and dignity over cultural pressure.
The question now is whether the rest of the society is ready to follow
