Ochanya Ogbaji, the 13-year-old girl who died after being repeatedly raped by her cousin and her aunt’s husband, remains one of the most painful episodes in Nigeria’s history. The public was again thrown into discomfort when news broke that the two men accused of the abuse were freed by the court for lack of evidence, while her guardian who happens to be wife of one of the abusers was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment for failing to protect her. Is that not contradictory, and does it not expose the Nigerian judiciary as inconsistent and unjust?
That the men responsible for Ochanya’s agony and death were acquitted raises deep questions about justice, fairness, and transparency. Once again, the already-eroded public trust in the judiciary was further shattered. This case could have been a defining moment to rebuild confidence in the system, yet it turned into another miscarriage of justice, destroying whatever hope Nigerians had left in the courts.
Ochanya was not only dehumanised while alive but continues to suffer indignity even in death. The conflicting verdicts in her case reveals how the judiciary and government trivialise the trauma of rape victims. It shows how little value is placed on the lives of citizens, especially women and children. With such a ruling, victims of sexual violence will lose hope in ever finding justice.
The judgment also underscores how patriarchy still dominates Nigerian society. Only the woman, Ochanya’s guardian, was punished, while the men who committed the actual crime walked away free. This reflects the deep-rooted belief that men are beyond reproach while women must bear the blame. It highlights how oppressive marriage and gender roles can be in a patriarchal culture where the man’s authority is protected at the expense of fairness and truth.
It is frightening that in the 21st century, women, who make up half the world’s population, remain endangered by primordial, primitive and violent sexual practices. Sexual violence has become so normalised that some even justify or downplay rape. Such moral decay reveals a society that has lost compassion and respect for human dignity.
The pervasiveness of rape culture in Nigeria calls for urgent attention. Across the country, violence against women occurs daily, often unreported because of fear and stigma. Hardly does a day pass without a Nigerian woman being violated or harassed somewhere. This violence appears in many forms such as intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual assault, sexual exploitation, trafficking, harassment, and female genital mutilation. Each act strips women of dignity and reinforces the belief that their bodies are not their own.
Our collective fight against the dehumanisation of women is a fight for humanity itself. To disregard women’s rights is to disregard life and morality. The boy-child must be taught to respect women as equals, not as the “other”. Seeing women as inferior fuels domination and violence. The mindset that views manhood through control must be replaced with one grounded in empathy, equality, and accountability.
Eradicating rape culture is not a women’s issue alone, it is a societal responsibility. Every family, school, and religious body must take part in reshaping values. Boys and men must be re-educated to understand that masculinity is not expressed through power or aggression but through respect and protection.
And, this struggle is about human dignity, empowerment, and social justice. Feminism, as we preach it, is not rebellion against men but a call for equality and fairness. It seeks to dismantle structures that silence and oppress women. It seems to empower and emancipate women. No girl should ever die like Ochanya.
Every leader, parent, teacher, and policymaker must act to ensure that her tragedy is not repeated. Laws protecting women and children must be enforced strictly and without bias. The police and courts must treat rape cases with urgency, professionalism, and compassion. The culture of blaming victims must end, and survivors must be supported through counselling, healthcare, and justice, not humiliation.
Ochanya’s story is not isolated. It represents countless untold stories of girls across Nigeria suffering in silence. Her death should have been a turning point for reform, yet the court’s decision reminded us that in Nigeria, justice often fails the powerless.
Kazeem Olalekan Israel, Ibadan
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