The Chairman of the Multi-Stakeholder Action Committee on Gender Based Violence, GBV, Prevention, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, the Orangun of Oke-Ila Orangun, has declared that the protection of women and girls remains non-negotiable.
Oba Abolarin also stressed that traditional rulers must act as champions of preservation, insisting that culture should never be used as a shield to justify silence, injustice or harmful practices.
The traditional ruler was speaking at the Osun State convention of traditional rulers for gender based violence prevention on Tuesday at the Osun State Secretariat, Abere.
The traditional rulers were convened by ActionAid Nigeria, in collaboration with the Osun State Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Social Welfare and the multi-stakeholder action committee on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention to strengthen efforts against GBV in the state.
He noted that the convention’s theme addressed the responsibilities of traditional rulers as custodians of culture, urging them to take deliberate steps to end gender-based violence within their communities.
The monarch revealed that stakeholders had facilitated community engagements focusing on violence, silence, accountability and protection, leading to increased awareness and positive behavioural change.
He acknowledged, however, that some communities still practise harmful traditions that expose women and children to abuse and exploitation.
“Women and girls in our communities are watching. Harmful practices can continue when traditional rulers remain silent, but they can end when leadership acts decisively,” he said.
Oba Abolarin urged traditional rulers not to remain passive but to take active roles in championing change and strengthening collaboration across the state to end GBV.
In his address, Oba Muraina Adebanjo Adedini, Asoya of Ile-Isoya Kingdom, representing the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, described GBV as one of the most serious challenges confronting society.
He said the menace undermines peace and threatens the moral fabric of communities, calling on traditional rulers to use their influence to promote peaceful coexistence.
He urged that palaces should serve as safe havens for victims, emphasising education and value orientation as key tools in preventing GBV and promoting mutual respect.
Also speaking, Kehinde Arowosegbe, representing ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director, Andrew Mamedu, said the organisation had made significant impact by strengthening community resilience and addressing harmful social norms.
Arowosegbe noted that the project had transformed traditional rulers from passive observers into active advocates, with community structures established to support victims and prevent abuse.
In a keynote address, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi Bada, represented by Tijani Adekilekun Kareem, emphasised that culture must never be used to justify violence.
He said the Osun State Government had strengthened legal and institutional frameworks, including the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, to ensure justice for victims and accountability for offenders.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Children and Social Welfare, Ayobola Awolowo, represented by Lola Adewale, called for sustained collaboration among stakeholders, while other speakers, including Funmilayo Abdullahi, highlighted the health and social consequences of harmful practices such as female genital mutilation.
