By Stanley Okehie
The traditional ruler of Ibeme Amaise Autonomous Community in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area HRH Eze Samuel Okwudiri Amaefule, Chimereze 1, has assured that the community would develop a Palace Charter to address harmful traditional practices and protect positive cultural values.
He gave the assurance during a three-day community retreat organized by the Centre for the Right to Health, a non-governmental organization with support from the Ford Foundation.
Eze Amaefule assured that the community would work to end traditions that deny survivors justice, promote harmful widowhood practices, and perpetuate gender stereotypes.
He expressed the belief that the Palace Charter, when developed, would establish safe community reporting and referral pathways.
He promised that the knowledge gained from the retreat would help the community promote positive proverbs and storytelling, ensure dignified support for widows, and encourage positive role models.
Eze Amaefule recalled his efforts to end the Osu practice in the community, calling on community members to support genuine efforts to eliminate other harmful traditions.
He also called for greater support for persons with disabilities, urging community members to desist from segregation and treat them as fellow human beings deserving of respect.
The Palace Secretary, Chief Timothy Eke, said he had learnt a lot about social ills that mostly affect the girl child. He described harmful practices such as violence against widows, including the denial of their late husbands’ properties, violence against the girl child and persons with disabilities, and female genital mutilation, among others, as setbacks for the community.
Elder Anthony Nwobi promised to use the knowledge gained from the retreat to add value to the community.
He cited a rape case involving blood relatives, which eventually led to the death of the victim due to stigmatization, and encouraged survivors and community members to always speak out against such cases.
He assured that the Palace Charter, when developed, would help stem the tide of injustice and harmful traditional practices in the community.
The President-General of the community Mr. Franklyn Osigwe described the retreat as a welcome development that had exposed some harmful traditions in the community while declaring zero tolerance for rape.
He said the retreat had changed their perspectives and perceptions of some traditions that dehumanize community members, promising that the youths would help ensure enforcement once the Palace Charter is established.
A woman leader, Mrs. Obioma Nwokocha said many harmful traditional norms were identified during the retreat and that the community had resolved to change them.
She lamented some of the social ills occurring in the community, citing the case of a youth who allegedly raped his mother under the influence of alcohol.
Mrs. Nwokocha promised to cascade the knowledge gained from the training to women in the community and apply it in her daily life.
A facilitator, Dr. Richard Nwamadi had earlier sensitized participants on how to transform harmful traditional customs and norms that perpetuate sexual and gender-based violence.
He encouraged the participants to adopt safe referral mechanisms, especially in criminal matters, and charged them to promote community awareness, dialogue, and consultation.
The high point of the retreat was the inauguration of a Palace Charter Committee made up of representatives of the Eze in Council, Ndi Nze, Town Union, Aladinma – Women’s Group and Youths.