Rape: Male Relatives Are Often Culprits-Mrs Udom Emmanuel
Wife of Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Martha Udom Emmanuel, has declared that many male relatives so trusted in families mostly get involved in raping and defiling female minors and girls.
She therefore warn mothers against unnecessarily trusting uncles, cousins, neighbours and, even fathers, saying they are frontline defilers, considering records of those arrested and prosecuted so far.
Mrs Emmanuel said this during the International Women’s Day celebrations at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, adding: “mothers, don’t be careless with your female children.
“Don’t leave your female children with your brother, cousin, uncle. Even fathers are not trusted. I still can’t understand why a father should rape his own daughter but it is happening even in our state.”
The mother of four declared that no rapist in the state will go scot-free and disclosed that, at least, five persons have been prosecuted and are already saving life jail terms in the state.
“Let me sound this as a note of warning: if you are a rapist, within the last one week, five people have been sentenced to life imprisonment for rape. Many are still on the line but the worst thing is; as we are convicting them, others are still commiting the same crime,” she said.
The wife of the governor who has been in the forefront of the fight against rape called on victims and youths to make sure every case of rape is reported for the culprits to be arrested and prosecuted.
She said the theme of the Women’s Day celebrations, “Women in Leadership: Achieving Equal Future in a COVID-19 World”, was apt, noting that it seeks to celebrate the tremendous efforts of women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future.
She noted that women were at the mainstream of COVID-19 fight globally, adding: “Women were the care givers, health care workers, innovators, community organisers. This event has offered an opportunity to celebrate women.”
She called on women to exhibit leadership virtues for them to be entrusted with position of authority and cited the example of an Akwa Ibom indigene, Mrs. Dorothy Ufot, (SAN), who was recently named the Arbitraitor of the Year 2021 in the whole of Africa.
Mrs Emmanuel stressed the need for women to celebrate themselves for always taking the lead and being the best, adding that they should always stand their ground and not be intimidated as both men and women are God’s creation with equal functionalities in the brain.
She, however, thanked her husband, Governor Udom Emmanuel, for, as she said, always making women count in the politics of the state.
The high point of the event was the empowerment of 100 women with seed funds for small and medium scale entrepreneurship and presentation of honourary awards to some deserving female indigenes of the state.
