By Emmanuel Afonne

Eserinune Mojaye, a Professor of Communication at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), has urged the Federal Government to intensify campaign against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) to protect the future of the girl-child.

Mojaye made the call in Abuja at the 29th inaugural lecture of the university with the theme: “Constructing and Deconstructing Journalism Practice and Communication Research in Nigeria: A 40-Year Experience.”

He stressed the need for information and communication as the enduring solution to the problem.

“Rather than legal prohibition, many studies have suggested that information and communication are more likely to provide an effective and enduring solution to the problem,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities rolled out a plan in 1997 to eliminate the practice of FGM within three generation.

The plan emphasised the need for all governments in Africa to legislate against the practice and enforce national plans to it.

Mojaye said that rather than using a legal approach to deal with the matter, governments at all levels should focus on using effective communication to address the matter.

According to him, communication plays a vital role in health promotion and health education.

He noted that effective communication empowers people to seek what is best for their health and to exercise their right of good quality health care.

“Communication is also a vital tool in the promotion of behaviour change in all areas of health, including reproductive health.

“In many countries of the world, communication has made open discussion about reproductive health issues possible.

“However, in Nigeria, communication campaigns have not been well utilised in the crusade for the abandonment of FGM.

“My studies on FGM show that the mass media have not been effectively used to inform and educate people on the dangers and health consequences of FGM.

“As I found out in my studies, more impact would be made in the crusade for the abandonment of FGM if the mass media were used to disseminate messages and create awareness about the negative health consequences of the practice.

“I, therefore, recommended in my studies that mass media messages, especially those aimed at informing and educating, should be an integral part of any effort to eradicate the practice of FGM,” Mojaye said.

He noted that while communication had shaped how people conduct their daily lives, it had also transformed the lives of individuals and society at large.

The Vice Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Olufemi Peters, commended Mojaye for his vision, noting that communication could affect people’s way of living.

Peters, who was represented by Prof. Isaac Butswat, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, NOUN, said the lecture was a significant event in the professors’ career, where they share research, achievements and other engagements with the larger society.

He assured that the institution would continue to invest in research and development of its workforce. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma