Bagudu’s Wife Parleys High Commission to Checkmate Gender Violence In Nigeria

By Haruna Usman, Birnin Kebbi

The wife of Kebbi State Governor, Dr.Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu has expressed optimism that the collaboration between the British High Commission and Northern Governor’s Wives Forum would yield positive results in addressing Gender Based Violence (GBV) especially in northern Nigeria.

Dr. Bagudu, who is also the founder of Medicaid Cancer Foundation, made the assertion when the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing hosted some Northern Governor’s wives in Abuja on Thursday.

Dr. Bagudu said Britain and Nigeria have a long existing relationship on issues of economic and human development, hence, the need for closer collaboration between the two countries to stop gender based violence in Nigeria.

Expressing gratitude to the UK on behalf of the governors’ wives, she said, “I want to say a very big thank you to UK in Nigeria, the ties between the British and Nigerians dates back a very long time in history. Our President was there few weeks ago for some important sessions, and we are here today, we look to more collaboration and progress to our countries.”

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, while with some Northern governors’ wives, she hosted, discussed how to collaborate on gender based violence (GBV) targeting women and children in Northern Nigeria.

The meeting called for partnership with all government officials, stakeholders, community leaders to stop all manners of gender based violence in the country, most especially in the north.

The parley was chaired by the British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mrs. Laing, in the presence wife of Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, wife of Gombe State Governor, Hajiya Asma’u Inuwa Yahaya and wife of Borno State Governor, Falmata Mara Zulum.

Others were wife of Kwara State Governor Mrs. Olufolake Abdulrazak, wife of Nasarawa State Governor, Salifat Sule and wife of Benue State Governor, Mrs. Eunice Ortom.

At the end of the meeting, the governors’ wives expressed their optimism that they would engage traditional and religious rulers, leaders of communities in tackling the menace and scourge of the violence in northern Nigeria.

When asked on the security aspect of it considering that the large number of women and children are in IDPs, most especially in Borno State, the wife of Borno State Governor, who is the Vice Chairperson of the forum, Hajiya Falmata Zulum, said they have already engaged the security personnel, community leaders, most especially top government officials.

According to Zulum, they would continue to do so in order to proffer better ways to make the collaboration works best.

It would be recalled that mid last year, 36 First Ladies protested against GBV, as they made their position known as contained in a statement issued.

They maintained that as mothers, they commiserate with survivors of the heinous acts and urged them to be courageous in speaking up, no matter how long it takes.

Similarly, led by the First Lady of Nigeria, Dr. Aisha Buhari, the Northern Governors wives released an advocacy video for the 16 days of activism.