By Akpan Glory
The Gender Mobile Initiative (GMI) has called for an urgent national audit of traditional and cultural practices following disturbing reports from the Ozoro Festival in Delta.
The organisation said recent incidents linked to the festival had triggered broader reflection on cultural norms that may enable gender-based violations.
The Team Lead of GMI, Omowunmi Ogunrotimi, said in a statement on Monday that the situation underscored the urgent need to interrogate cultural norms that enable harm.
GMI noted that the development required more than public outrage over circulating videos, calling for a critical examination of underlying cultural frameworks.
It stated that emerging accounts and longstanding narratives around the festival suggested practices that single out and publicly shame women, especially those perceived as infertile.
According to the organisation, such practices include acts like pouring sand on affected women, which it described as demeaning and inconsistent with human dignity, regardless of cultural or ritual context.
“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,” Ogunrotimi said.
She added that culture should evolve to reflect shared values of dignity, equality and safety, stressing that preserving harmful norms perpetuates injustice.
GMI stressed that any cultural expression built on the humiliation, control or violation 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 said.
The group added that practices enabling harm, exclusion or violence against women and girls, whether symbolic or physical, should not be shielded from scrutiny.
It linked the reported incidents to broader societal systems that normalise the policing of women’s bodies and reinforce harmful gender norms.
GMI noted that such concerns were not limited to Delta State but reflected wider patterns across communities where traditions undermine the rights of women and girls.
The organisation, therefore, called for a comprehensive cultural practices audit to identify and address harmful and discriminatory elements.
It said the audit should examine traditions that perpetuate stigma, especially against women and girls, while engaging community leaders and cultural custodians in reform efforts.
GMI also emphasised the need to prioritise dignity, safety and equality in preserving culture.
The organisation maintained that cultural evolution was necessary, noting that not all traditions were worth preserving if they perpetuate harm.
It reiterated its commitment to promoting a society where culture uplifts and protects all individuals.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Ozoro Festival, a long-standing cultural event among the Isoko people of Delta, traditionally serves as a platform for cultural expression and social regulation.
In recent years, however, aspects of the festival have come under criticism over practices perceived to reinforce stigma and gender-based discrimination. (NAN)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
