A behavioral, developmental and child/young persons care professional, Kemi Olokode-Ayelabola has condemned in its strongest term the reported incidents of violence against women and girls during a recent cultural festival in Ozoro, Delta State, describing the incident as barbaric and grave violation of safety and dignity.
In a statement she personally signed and made available to journalists, she stated that the video evidence circulating widely on social media tragically exposed women and girls being harassed, chased and assaulted in public, raising concerns over the failure to guarantee protection in communal spaces.
Kemi who is also the Chairperson and Convener of Asiwaju Renewed Hope (ARH’27) in the forthcoming 2027 Presidential election decried attempts in some quarters to deflate the incidents or interpret them as part of cultural practices, stressing that violence against women and girls must not be trivialised or justified under any circumstance and no matter those involved.
She added that the disturbing and heartbreaking incident reflects deeper systemic issues of gender-based violence, where harmful norms, silence and weak enforcement enable such abuses to persist.
She further referenced her 2025 commendation for the Nigerian Senate under the leadership of His Excellency Godswil Akpabio for passing a Bill prescribing life imprisonment for anyone, male or female found guilty of sexually abusing minors adding that this could be the best time to put such legislation to action so as to creating an environment that can stem the rising tide of child sexual abuse across Nigeria.
She added that no cultural festival or traditional belief should be used to excuse or conceal violence, calling for all individuals involved to be identified and prosecuted through a transparent process.
Kemi also urged the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to take immediate action by directing security agencies to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators, while ensuring public disclosure of steps taken, including arrests and prosecution outcomes. She also called for accountability from security agencies over alleged lapses that allowed the incidents to occur without timely intervention, noting that their mandate should include proactive measures to prevent harm against vulnerable segments of the society.
She said while it is not a bad idea to give space to custodians of tradition and culture to have their ways in enjoying what is constitutionally accepted, she however cautioned that there must be restraint.
Her statement reads partly, “I am still in shock to see that what was actually designed to be a day of colour, rhythm and ancestral pride. Instead, Thursday, March 19, 2026, has been etched into the collective memory of Ozoro Kingdom as a day of fear, violation and institutional reckoning, a day when a cultural celebration allegedly devolved into what residents now describe, in hushed tones, as a “festival of rape.”
“This is barbaric and a grave violation of safety and dignity. It is disheartening that young people, who should represent the pride and future of our society, would engage in acts that degrade and violate the dignity of women, our mothers and sisters for just no cause.
“In Oramudu Quarters, the epicentre of the chaos, the lines between festivity and criminality blurred with terrifying speed. What should have been an expression of heritage became, according to multiple accounts, a coordinated assault on women — a breakdown not only of order, but of the very cultural codes the festival was meant to uphold.
“My appeal therefore goes to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs to provide probono support for affected women and girls, including access to medical care, psychosocial services, legal assistance and safe reporting channels. The need for sustained efforts to address gaps in safeguarding women and girls in public and cultural spaces must never be lowered. Meanwhile, this is also a wake up call for authorities and community leaders in Ozoro Kingdom to review practices that may endanger women. The dignity of women must always be honored, protected and not violated under any guise.”
