The Wife of the Oyo State Governor and Vice-Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses’ Forum, Engr. (Mrs.) Tamunominini Makinde, has led a renewed statewide advocacy campaign against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), calling for a decisive shift in social norms, stronger institutional response, and grassroots vigilance to curb the menace.
She spoke in Ibadan during a two-day programme organised by the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses’ Forum in partnership with the Ford Foundation, themed: “Advocacy for Prevention: Shifting Social Norms and Strengthening State Commitment to End Gender-Based Violence.”
Addressing stakeholders including traditional rulers, religious leaders, local government chairmen’s wives, security agencies, and civil society actors, the First Lady stressed that GBV remains a lived reality affecting women and children across communities.
Recounting her early exposure to GBV cases shortly after the administration’s first tenure began, Makinde said the experiences shaped her commitment to advocacy and survivor support.
“These are not fiction. These are real-life narratives,” she said.
“Every society is shaped by the values it protects and the behaviours it corrects. Sexual and gender-based violence thrives where silence is mistaken for culture and where harm is excused as tradition.”
She declared that abuse must never be justified under cultural or disciplinary pretences.
“Violence is not culture. Abuse is not discipline. Protecting women and girls does not weaken society, it strengthens it,” she stated.
Makinde charged traditional and religious leaders to use their influence to challenge harmful norms, noting that community transformation often begins from trusted voices.
“When you speak, communities listen. When you act, the norms shift. This town hall meeting is not about blame but about shared responsibility.”
Speaking directly to wives of local government chairmen, she emphasised their strategic position in early detection and prevention at the grassroots.
“You stand at the intersection of governance and community. You see patterns before they become statistics. Your role is not confrontation but conversation; not accusation but education; not judgment but leadership.”
She urged them to become GBV champions who can guide victims to justice and support systems.
Also speaking, the Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, described gender-based violence as a public health emergency with far-reaching physical and psychological consequences.
“Gender-based violence is not just a social problem, it is a public health emergency. It affects the body, the mind, the dignity, and the future of victims,” she said.
Ajetunmobi reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to strengthening psychosocial services, emergency care, documentation, and referral systems for survivors.
“No survivor should be re-traumatised by the very system meant to provide help,” she added.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs. Toyin Balogun, commended the First Lady’s leadership and sustained investment in advocacy, survivor support, and institutional coordination.
She noted that the ministry continues to work closely with partners to expand awareness, legal protection, and rehabilitation services for victims across the state.
“This advocacy is critical because prevention begins with awareness. When communities understand the law, the support systems available, and the dangers of silence, we move closer to ending gender-based violence,” Balogun said.
Earlier, former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Christiana Abioye, underscored the cultural barriers that discourage reporting of abuse.
“Because of our social norms and traditions, many survivors are told to keep silent. That is why cases are underreported, even though they are prevalent,” she said.
She called on traditional rulers and clerics to integrate anti-GBV messaging into community and faith teachings.
Chairman of the Oyo State GBV Rapid Response Team, Mr. Marcus Williams, highlighted the multi-sectoral structure of the response mechanism, comprising security agencies, ministries, and NGOs.
He disclosed that the team had handled hundreds of cases through coordinated emergency interventions.
“In the last 12 months, close to 640 cases have been reported to us. Our response structure is decentralised across local governments, enabling prompt action,” he said.
Williams added that strengthening public reporting platforms would further enhance response efficiency.
Traditional institutions also pledged support for the campaign. The Eleruwa of Eruwa, Oba Samuel Adegbola, called for deeper grassroots penetration of the advocacy.
“This campaign must get to the villages and remotest communities. We must also discourage out-of-court settlements that prevent the law from taking its course,” the monarch advised.
The event featured advocacy tool unveilings, stakeholder dialogues, and community engagement sessions aimed at strengthening prevention frameworks and survivor protection systems across Oyo State.
